Biochemical role of serum fructosamine in patients with thyroid disorders

Abstract

Background: Fructosamine (FA) is the product of a reaction between glucose (sugar) and albumin (protein). It is used to monitor the short-term glycemic changes in patients with diabetes and may have a role in conjugation with glycated hemoglobin. Aims & Objective: Fructosamine test is used to evaluate the average amount of glucose in blood over a period of 2–3 weeks. FA is a useful indicator to measure the peripheral metabolic function in patients with thyroid disorders. As serum thyroid function tests, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum FA ratios occupied our attention, their inconsistency in the subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism, overt hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism in relation to the euthyroid healthy control subjects was studied here. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 100 patients with overt hypothyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism attending the medical OPD and radioimmunoassay laboratory of the Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India. Results: The mean glycated hemoglobin level was higher in study group than in controls, and it was not statistically significant. The mean serum FA level was higher in patients with overt hypothyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism and lower in those with hyperthyroidism than that in controls. It was found to be highly statistically significant. Conclusion: The FA values, which are largely higher than FPG and HbA1c values, indicate a higher propensity to glycation and a decrease turnover of the proteins in the patients with overt hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism; contrary results were observed in individuals with hyperthyroidism.