Glycosylated albumin and transferrin: Short-term markers of blood glucose control

Serum was collected from children with type 1 diabetes mellitus before and 10 days after attending a camp session in which blood glucose concentrations were carefully controlled. Glycosylated and nonglycosylated proteins were separated, and levels of albumin and transferrin were determined on each of these fractions. Glycosylated hemoglobin was also determined and ranged from 4.6% to 14.6% (mean ± SEM 8.1%±0.2%). Mean initial glycosylated albumin in 73 children was 16.4%±0.6%, which was elevated compared with the mean of levels in 20 nondiabetic controls (8.7%±0.3%) and correlated well with levels of glycosylated hemoglobin ( r=0.71). After 10 days mean glycosylated albumin fell to 14.6%±0.5% ( P