Level of glycation gap in a healthy subject.

INTRODUCTION The discordance between glycated hemoglobin (HbA(1C)) and fructosamine (FA) estimations in the assessment of glycemia is often encountered. A number of mechanisms might explain such discordance, but whether or not they are consistent is uncertain. Nevertheless, the fact that there is a discrepancy in HbA(1C) and mean blood glucose cannot be ignored in the monitoring of glycemic control. To address the discrepancy between HbA(1C) and mean blood glucose, Robert Cohen proposed the measurement of glycation gap (GG). Recently, the 'Glycation Gap' (GG) has been defined as the difference between the measured HbA(1C). GG has improved the quality of the monitoring of glycemic control, especially for those patients whose HbA(1C) levels do not truly reflect the mean blood glucose levels. OBJECTIVE The aims of the statistical analyses were to estimate GG values in a healthy subject. The research was conducted among the inhabitants of the Zwierzyniec commune and nearby villages. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study population consisted of 93 subjects: 63 women and 30 men, between the ages of 18-79. Measurements of HbA(1C) and FA in the 93 people were used to calculate GG, defined as the difference between measured HbA(1C) and HbA(1C) predicted from FA, based on the population regression of HbA(1C) on FA. CONCLUSIONS In considering the values GG in the study group, particular significance should be attributed to a progressive increase of GG with advancing age. Elderly people who are at risk of developing diabetes, or who have already developed the disease, may not exhibit the classic symptoms expected. Age-related changes can mean that some symptoms will be masked, or more dificult to spot. It is worth pointing out that HbA(1C) together with GG must be taken into account in the correct interpretation of the glycation processes.