Brief communication (Original). Correlation of glycated albumin with self blood glucose monitoring in diabetic patients on hemodialysis taking erythropoietin

Background: Serum glycated albumin (GA) is a marker of glycemic control in diabetic renal patients, but studies were limited by the use of few random glucose values to define glycemic control.

Objectives: To determine whether GA correlated with self blood glucose monitoring is better than HbA1c in hemodialyzed diabetic patients taking erythropoietin.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of diabetic patients on hemodialysis with and without erythropoietin. GA was measured by ELISA and HbA1c by ion-exchange HPLC. GA was reported as the GA/albumin ratio where albumin was measured using bromocresol green. The average capillary blood glucose level over the preceding three months (CBG) was calculated from self-reported daily prebreakfast, prelunch, and prebed glucose meter readings.

Results: Thirty-four patients were recruited; 18 were taking erythropoietin (6000 units per week) and 16 had never received erythropoietin. HbA1c correlated poorly with CBG in patients taking erythropoietin (r = -0.014, P = 0.96) compared with patients without erythropoietin (r = 0.579, P = 0.02). The correlation of GA/albumin ratio with CBG in the erythropoietin group (r = 0.612, P = 0.007) was similar to the nonerythropoietin group (r = 0.854, P < 0.001). The slope for HbA1c versus CBG was 2.8-fold greater in patients without erythropoietin compared with those taking erythropoietin. There was no significant difference in the slopes for GA/albumin ratio versus CBG between the two patient groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: In diabetic patients on hemodialysis and taking low doses of erythropoietin, GA/albumin is a better marker of glycemic control than HbA1c.