PREDICTING LONG-TERM GLYCEMIC CONTROL OF POST-EDUCATIONAL TYPE-II DIABETIC-PATIENTS BY EVALUATING SERUM 1,5-ANHYDROGLUCITOL LEVELS

1,5-Anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) is known to closely reflect diabetic cont rol within several days. The possibility of predicting long-term glyce mic control after an educational hospitalization of type II diabetic p atients was investigated by examining the relationship between changes in serum 1,5-AG levels after a short-term trial home stay following a n educational program and long-term changes in glycosylated hemoglobin A(1C) (HbA(1C)) levels after discharge. After 22 patients with type I I diabetes had successfully completed the educational hospitalization program, they returned as outpatients for 5 nights in a row. Changes i n serum 1,5-AG levels were determined during this period. The HbA(1C) levels were then determined over a period of 3 months after discharge, and the relationship between changes in 1,5-AG and HbA(1C) levels was examined. Changes in serum 1,5-AG levels during the 5-day trial home stay and the changes in HbA(1C) levels during the 3 months after disch arge from the hospital were found to be significantly correlated (r = 0.70, P < 0.01). A comparison of the decreased group, which exhibited a decrease in I,5-AG levels of 5.0 mu mol/l or more during the trial h ome stay, and the unchanged group, revealed that increases in body mas s index 3 months after discharge were significantly higher in the decr eased group (1.2 +/- 0.4%) than in the unchanged group (0.2 +/- 0.5%) (P < 0.05). Determination of serum 1,5-AG levels of patients with type II diabetes before and after a trial home stay following educational hospitalization was found to be useful in identifying patients at high risk of recurrence of poor glycemic control in the future. Copyright (C) 1996 EIsevier Science Ireland Ltd.