Increasing waist circumference is associated with decreased levels of glycated albumin

Inverse Associations between Measures of Adiposity and Glycated Albumin in US Adults, NHANES 1999-2004

BACKGROUND

Glycated albumin (GA) is a short-term measure of glycemic control. Several studies have demonstrated an inverse association between body mass index (BMI) and GA, which may affect its performance as a biomarker of hyperglycemia. We investigated cross-sectional associations between GA and multiple measures of adiposity, and compared its performance as a glycemic biomarker by obesity status, in a nationally representative sample of US adults.

METHODS

We measured GA in adults from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Separately in adults with and without diabetes, we assessed associations of GA with adiposity measures (BMI, waist circumference, trunk fat, total body fat, and fat mass index) in sex-stratified multivariable regression models. We compared sensitivity and specificity of GA to identify elevated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), by obesity status.

RESULTS

In covariate-adjusted regression models, all adiposity measures were inversely associated with GA in adults without diabetes (β=-0.48 to -0.22%-point GA per 1 SD adiposity measure; n = 9750) and with diabetes (β=-1.73 to -0.92%-point GA per SD). Comparing adults with vs without obesity, GA exhibited lower sensitivity (43% vs 54%) with equivalent specificity (99%) to detect undiagnosed diabetes (HbA1c ≥ 6.5%). Among adults with diagnosed diabetes (n = 1085), GA performed well to identify above-target glycemia (HbA1c ≥ 7.0%), with high specificity (>80%) overall but lower sensitivity in those with vs without obesity (81% vs 93%).

CONCLUSIONS

Inverse associations between GA and adiposity were present in people with and without diabetes. GA is highly specific but may not be sufficiently sensitive for diabetes screening in adults with obesity.

GA/HbA1c ratio is a simple and practical indicator to evaluate the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetes: an observational study

BACKGROUND

It is still debatable whether glycated albumin/glycated hemoglobin A1C (GA/HbA1C) ratio is associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), and few studies have been conducted in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between GA/HbA1C ratio and MAFLD and to evaluate whether GA/HbA1C ratio can be used an indicator of MAFLD in Chinese patients with T2DM.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study consisted of 7117 T2DM patients including 3296 men and 3821 women from real-world settings. Abdominal ultrasonography was performed to diagnose MAFLD. In addition to comparing the clinical characteristics among the GA/HbA1C ratio quartile groups, we also investigated the associations of GA/HbA1C ratio and quartiles with MAFLD in T2DM subjects.

RESULTS

There was a significantly decreased trend in the MAFLD prevalence across the GA/HbA1C ratio quartiles (56.3%, 47.4%, 37.8%, and 35.6% for the first, second, third, and fourth quartile, respectively, P < 0.001 for trend) after adjusting for gender, age, and diabetes duration. Fully adjusted Binary logistic regression indicated that both GA/HbA1C ratio (OR: 0.575, 95% CI: 0.471 to 0.702, P < 0.001) and quartiles (P < 0.001 for trend) were inversely associated with the presence of MAFLD among T2DM patients. Additionally, HOMA2-IR values were clearly increased in the T2DM subjects with MAFLD compared with those without MAFLD (P < 0.001), and markedly increased from the highest to the lowest GA/HbA1C ratio quartile (P < 0.001 for trend).

CONCLUSIONS

GA/HbA1C ratio is closely and negatively associated with MAFLD in T2DM subjects, which may attribute to that GA/HbA1C ratio reflects the degree of insulin resistance. GA/HbA1C ratio may act as a simple and practical indicator to evaluate the risk of MAFLD in T2DM.

Visit-to-visit variability of glycated albumin was associated with incidence or progression of lower extremity atherosclerotic disease

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of visit-to-visit variability of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and glycated albumin (GA) with the risk of lower extremity atherosclerotic disease (LEAD).

METHOD

We performed a prospective cohort study of 436 patients with type 2 diabetes (258 men and 178 women) with at least 3 measurements of HbA1c and GA prior to baseline investigation from the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital. Different HbA1c and GA variability markers were calculated. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to demonstrate the association between visit-to-visit HbA1c and GA variability and the risk of incident or progressive LEAD.

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up period of 3.77 years, 112 participants developed LEAD. Multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of LEAD across tertiles of GA-CV values were 1.00, 1.06 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65-1.75), and 1.71 (95% CI 1.07-2.73) (P for trend = 0.042), respectively. When we used GA-VIM and GA-ARV values as exposures, similar positive associations with the risk of LEAD primary were found. Multivariate-adjusted HRs of LEAD for each 1 unit increase in GA-CV, GA-VIM and GA-ARV were 1.03 (95% CI 1.01-1.06), 1.32 (95% CI 1.03-1.69), and 1.07 (95%CI 1.01-1.15), respectively. However, there was no significant association between visit-to-visit variability of HbA1c and the risk of LEAD.

CONCLUSIONS

Visit-to-visit variability of GA may be an optimal biomarker in relation to LEAD risk among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Recent Updates and Advances in the Use of Glycated Albumin for the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Diabetes and Renal, Cerebro- and Cardio-Metabolic Diseases

Diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous and dysmetabolic chronic disease in which the laboratory plays a fundamental role, from diagnosis to monitoring therapy and studying complications. Early diagnosis and good glycemic control should start as early as possible to delay and prevent metabolic and cardio-vascular complications secondary to this disease. Glycated hemoglobin is currently used as the reference parameter. The accuracy of the glycated hemoglobin dosage may be compromised in subjects suffering from chronic renal failure and terminal nephropathy, affected by the reduction in the survival of erythrocytes, with consequent decrease in the time available for glucose to attach to the hemoglobin. In the presence of these renal comorbidities as well as hemoglobinopathies and pregnancy, glycated hemoglobin is not reliable. In such conditions, dosage of glycated albumin can help. Glycated albumin is not only useful for short-term diagnosis and monitoring but predicts the risk of diabetes, even in the presence of euglycemia. This protein is modified in subjects who do not yet have a glycemic alteration but, as a predictive factor, heralds the risk of diabetic disease. This review summarizes the importance of glycated albumin as a biomarker for predicting and stratifying the cardiovascular risk linked to multiorgan metabolic alterations.

Serum 1,5-Anhydroglucitol to Glycated Albumin Ratio Can Help Early Distinguish Fulminant Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus from Newly Onset Type 1A Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND

Fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus (FT1DM) onsets abruptly and usually occurs within 1 week after the onset of hyperglycemic symptoms. Glycated albumin (GA) and 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) are indicators that reflect short-term glucose levels. This study was aimed at investigating whether the 1,5-AG/GA index (AGI) is a suitable indicator for early FT1DM identification.

METHODS

A total of 226 subjects were enrolled, all with glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) < 8.7%. FT1DM was diagnosed based on the 2012 Japan Diabetes Society criteria.

RESULTS

The AGI level was 0.54 (0.17-1.36) in the whole group. It was lower in FT1DM patients (0.16 [0.10-0.25]). Among the participants whose HbA1c did not exceed 7.0%, the AGI of FT1DM decreased significantly compared to type 1A diabetes (T1ADM) and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) patients (0.16 [0.12-0.26] vs. 0.46 [0.24-0.72] vs. 0.46 [0.24-0.72] P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that AGI can be used to distinguish FT1DM and T1ADM patients with HbA1c < 8.7%. Diagnosing FT1DM based on AGI ≤ 0.3 only can help narrow down suspected FT1DM by up to 26.87%. If we diagnosed FT1DM when AGI was ≤0.3 and HbA1c was ≤7.0%, the success rate further increased to 86.57%, among which 85.00% of FT1DM and 87.23% of T1ADM patients were successfully identified. Therefore, using the combination criteria of AGI and HbA1c would improve the differential diagnosis efficacy by 61.11% compared with the AGI criterion only.

CONCLUSION

AGI can help facilitate the early differential diagnosis of FT1DM and T1ADM when HbA1c < 8.7%, with an optimal cut-off point of 0.3.

Influence of Sex Hormones on the Relationship Between Body Fat and Glycated Albumin Levels

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have reported that glycated albumin (GA) is affected by body fat distribution. Sex hormones are reported to play an important role in fat metabolism.

AIM

This study aimed to explore the influence of sex hormones on the relationship between body fat and GA in a community population.

METHODS

We recruited 763 middle-aged and elderly subjects with normal glucose tolerance from communities. GA was determined using the enzyme method, and serum estradiol (E₂), total testosterone, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were detected using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassays.

OUTCOME

There was a statistically significant association between SHBG and GA remained after adjusting for body fat in both men and women.

RESULTS

The average serum GA levels were 13.40 ± 1.10% in the 298 men and 465 postmenopausal women included in this study. GA presented a significant downward trend with increasing quartiles of total fat mass (FM), limb FM, and trunk FM in both men and women (all P for trend < .01). In men, total testosterone, free testosterone, and SHBG were positively correlated with GA (both P < .01), and the correlation between SHBG and GA remained after adjusting for body fat (P < .01). In women, E2, free testosterone, bioactive testosterone, and SHBG were correlated with GA (all P < .01); furthermore, the positive correlation between SHBG and GA and the inverse correlation between E2 and GA remained after adjusting for body fat (both P < .05). Multivariate linear regression analyses showed that in addition to trunk FM, SHBG was positively correlated with GA in both men and women (standardized β = 0.136, P = .035; standardized β = 0.101, P = .033); however, E2 was not independently correlated with GA in women.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

SHBG may contribute to the influence of body fat, especially trunk fat on GA levels.

STRENGTHS & IMPLICATIONS

This study used an automated bioelectrical impedance analyzer to measure segmental body composition including limb FM and trunk FM and further investigated the role of segmental body fat in the correlation between SHBG and GA. Sex hormones may explain in part why body fat content and distribution can alter GA levels.

CONCLUSION

SHBG is positively correlated with serum GA levels, and this correlation is independent of total or segmental body fat. Xu Y, Ma X, Shen Y, et al. Influence of Sex Hormones on the Relationship Between Body Fat and Glycated Albumin Levels. J Sex Med 2020;17:903-910.

Associations Between Thyroid Hormones and Glycated Albumin in Euthyroid and Subclinical Hypothyroid Individuals: Results of an Observational Study

PURPOSE

Although overt thyroid dysfunction has been found to influence the level of glycated albumin (GA), the associations between thyroid hormones and GA in individuals with euthyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism (SHypo) are still unknown. The present study aimed to investigate whether thyroid hormones were related to GA in euthyroid and SHypo individuals.

METHODS

We recruited 685 euthyroid and 103 SHypo subjects with normal weight from communities in Shanghai. Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay was used to detect the serum levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone. GA was detected by the enzymatic method. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1c) was detected by high-performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

Among the 788 subjects (age range 31-81 years old), 307 were men and 481 were women. In the Spearman correlation analysis and multiple stepwise regression analysis, FT3 was negatively correlated with both GA and GA/HbA_1c in euthyroid subjects (all P < 0.05). The values of GA and GA/HbA_1c were reduced by approximately 0.30 and 0.05, respectively, for each 0.50 pmol/L increment in FT3. In SHypo subjects, FT4 was negatively associated with both GA and GA/HbA_1c (all P < 0.05). The values of GA and GA/HbA_1c were reduced by approximately 0.23 and 0.03, respectively, for each 1.00 pmol/L increment in FT4.

CONCLUSION

In euthyroid and SHypo subjects, more attention should be paid to the potential effects of individual differences in thyroid hormones on GA.