BACKGROUND: Serum 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) is a known marker reflecting recent glycaemic control. In this study, we examined serum 1,5-AG levels in chronic liver disease (CLD) patients with and without diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Eighty patients with CLD were compared with 667 subjects without CLD. Glycaemic control of the CLD patients was evaluated by estimated glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1C)) calculated using the equation by Rohlfing et al. from mean plasma glucose because CLD patients have apparently low HbA(1C). RESULTS: When the study participants were divided into subgroups stratified by HbA(1C) levels, the CLD patients whose estimated HbA(1C) levels were less than 7.0% showed significantly lower 1,5-AG than their counterparts of the control subjects. Stepwise multivariable analysis revealed that estimated HbA(1C) was the significant explanatory variable for 1,5-AG in the CLD patients. However, in the CLD patients with estimated HbA(1C) less than 5.8%, only hepaplastin test was the significant explanatory variable for 1,5-AG. CONCLUSIONS: Serum 1,5-AG levels are low irrespective of plasma glucose levels in the CLD patients with and without diabetes. The CLD patients who had low serum 1,5-AG levels were associated with deteriorated liver function.
BACKGROUND: Serum 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) is a known marker reflecting recent glycaemic control. In this study, we examined serum 1,5-AG levels in chronic liver disease (CLD) patients with and without diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Eighty patients with CLD were compared with 667 subjects without CLD. Glycaemic control of the CLD patients was evaluated by estimated glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1C)) calculated using the equation by Rohlfing et al. from mean plasma glucose because CLD patients have apparently low HbA(1C). RESULTS: When the study participants were divided into subgroups stratified by HbA(1C) levels, the CLD patients whose estimated HbA(1C) levels were less than 7.0% showed significantly lower 1,5-AG than their counterparts of the control subjects. Stepwise multivariable analysis revealed that estimated HbA(1C) was the significant explanatory variable for 1,5-AG in the CLD patients. However, in the CLD patients with estimated HbA(1C) less than 5.8%, only hepaplastin test was the significant explanatory variable for 1,5-AG. CONCLUSIONS: Serum 1,5-AG levels are low irrespective of plasma glucose levels in the CLD patients with and without diabetes. The CLD patients who had low serum 1,5-AG levels were associated with deteriorated liver function.