Fructosamine is a blood test that evaluates the effectiveness of treatment for diabetes, particularly when recent changes have been made to the treatment plan, either in medications used or in lifestyle changes, such as diet or exercise.
This test is usually used to evaluate changes in glucose levels over the past 2 to 3 weeks, but is only done when diabetes cannot be monitored with the glycé hemoglobin test, so many people with diabetes may never need it..
- In many cases.
- This test may also be requested during pregnancy.
- To frequently assess pregnant women’s sugar levels.
- As their needs vary throughout pregnancy.
Fructosamine testing to evaluate blood glucose levels is indicated when the person has alterations in erythrocyte and hemoglobin levels, which is common in cases of anemia, so it is not possible to evaluate blood glucose with glycosylated hemoglobin, because levels of this blood component are altered.
In addition, the fructosamine test is indicated when the person has heavy bleeding, has had a recent blood transfusion, or has low circulating iron levels.Therefore, the performance of fructosamine instead of glycosylated hemoglobin is more effective in assessing glucose levels circulating in the body.
The fructosamine test is quite simple, it only requires taking a small blood sample that is sent to the lab for testing, without preparation.
This type of test evaluates the amount of fructosamine in the blood, a substance that forms when glucose binds to blood proteins, such as albumin or hemoglobin, so if there is too much blood sugar, as in the case of diabetes, the higher the value of fructosamine, because more blood proteins will bind to glucose.
In addition, because blood proteins have a half-life of only 20 days, the values evaluated always reflect a summary of blood sugar levels in the last 2 to 3 weeks, allowing changes in blood sugar levels to be evaluated.treatment carried out during this period.
Fructosamine reference values in a healthy person can range from 205 to 285 micromolecules per liter of blood, when these values appear in the outcome of a person with diabetes means that treatment is effective and therefore blood glucose values are well controlled.
Thus, when the test result is
Whatever the outcome, your doctor may always order more tests to determine whether glucose variations are due to treatment or other health problems, such as hyperthyroidism, for example.