Abstract

OBJECTIVE—1,5-Anhydroglucitol (1,5AG) is a major circulating polyol arising primarily from ingestion and excreted competitively with glucose. Japanese studies have demonstrated reduced concentrations of 1,5AG in serum in hyperglycemic patients in comparison with euglycemic subjects and a gradual normalization of 1,5AG values for patients responding to antihyperglycemic therapies. In this first U.S. study, we assessed the ability of 1,5AG measurements to monitor glycemic control in a cohort of 77 patients with diabetes (22 with type 1 diabetes, 55 with type 2 diabetes) who presented with suboptimal glycemic control at baseline (defined as HbA_1c ≥7%).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Each patient received therapies consisting of combinations of diabetes education, nutritional counseling, and addition or dose adjustment of various insulins or oral antihyperglycemic medications. Therapy was targeted to reduce mean HbA_1c by ≥1.0% over the monitoring period. 1,5AG, HbA_1c, fructosamine, and random glucose measurements were performed at baseline and at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after the initiation of therapy.

RESULTS—1,5AG, fructosamine, and glucose values progressed significantly toward euglycemia by week 2 of monitoring (Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test, P < 0.05), with median changes of 93, −7, and −13% for 1,5AG, fructosamine, and glucose, respectively. In contrast, HbA_1c values did not respond significantly to therapy until week 4. On an individual patient basis, 89.6% of patients displayed longitudinal changes of 1,5AG from baseline to week 8 in concordance with HbA_1c. 1,5AG was also highly correlated with HbA_1c and fructosamine (Spearman ρ = −0.6459 and −0.6751, respectively; both P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS—We conclude that 1,5AG responds sensitively and rapidly to changes in glycemia and monitors glycemic control in accordance with established markers.