Modification of glycosylated haemoglobin concentration during artificial endocrine pancreas treatment of diabetics

Abstract

In order to verify whether or not insulininduced blood glucose control can acutely lower glycosylated haemoglobin levels, HbA_{I (a+b+c)} (HbAI) was measured in 11 diabetics before, during and after 3 days of treatment with an “artificial endocrine pancreas” (Biostator). Initially 5 patients were in fair glycaemic control (group A), while the other 6 showed poor control (group B). HbAI levels decreased significantly after 3 days in both groups A (from 9.6 ± 0.2% to 8.5 ± 0.3%, mean ± SEM, p < 0.05) and B (from 13.7 ± 0.2% to 12.6 ± 0.3%, p < 0.05). A further HbAI decrease was observed until day 60 following Biostator treatment, during which period glycaemic control inproved, as assessed by fasting and post-lunch plasma glucose values and daily glycosuria determined every 10 days. These results suggest that increased HbAI levels may be reversed early by strict blood glucose control during a 3 day period. It is concluded that HbAI levels not only reflect long-term glycaemic control, but also recent acute variations in mean blood glucose values.