Clinical usefulness of plasma 1,5-anhydroglucitol, fructosamine and blood HbA(1c) level in mice with abnormal glucose metabolism and in controls

We compared the usefulness of blood measurements of 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1, 5-AG), fructosamine and blood haemoglobin A(lc) (HbA(lc)) levels in C57BL/K sJ mice with abnormal glucose metabolism and in controls. Both streptozotoc in (STZ)-induced diabetic mice (db/m genotype) and genetically diabetic mic e (db/ db genotype) displaying a hyperglycaemia, plasma 1,5-AG level fell r apidly and dramatically. In contrast, both fructosamine and HbA(lc), increa sed so gradually that they provided an approximation of glycaemic condition s over a few weeks. Food-restricted mice displayed a slight hypoglycaemia, with fructosamine and HbA(lc), level reducing slightly but significantly at 4 and 12 weeks, respectively after commencement of treatment. These three glycaemic parameters were significantly correlated with blood glucose, sugg esting that these three glycaemic parameters are specifically related to th e abnormal glucose metabolism, and that their routine examination in mice m ay help delineate the metabolic derangement in the disease or provide analy tical information in preclinical studies.