Glycated albumin is superior to glycated hemoglobin for glycemic control assessment at an early stage of diabetes treatment: a multicenter, prospective study

Abstract Aims This study was to determine whether serum glycated albumin (GA) was a better indicator of glycemic control than hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) when starting a new treatment regimen for type 2 diabetes. Methods Newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients, or patients who had poor glycemic control with oral hypoglycemic agents, were enrolled at 10 hospitals in Beijing. Serum GA, HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBG), and C-peptide were assayed on days 0, 14, 28, and 91 after treatment. Results 499 patients were included. Mean FBG, GA and HbA1c decreased significantly in patients at days 14, 28, and 91. In patients with improved glycemic control, the reduction of GA and HbA1c levels was 10.5 ± 13.3% vs. 5.1 ± 5.4% on day 14, 16.0 ± 13.4% vs. 9.0 ± 7.0% on day 28, and 18.0 ± 16.7% vs. 18.3 ± 9.4% on day 91, respectively, compared with baseline values. Changes in GA on day 14, 28 and 91 were all closely correlated with changes in HbA1c on day 91. Change in GA on day 14 was correlated with treatment effectiveness evaluated by HbA1c on day 91 ( P < 0.01). Conclusions GA may be a useful marker for assessing glycemic control at an early stage of new diabetes treatment and assist in guiding adjustments to treatment and therapy.