Test for Monitoring Glycemic Control

A new test measures the level of 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) in human blood, and is designed to help diabetics achieve and maintain control over their disease. The test has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

1,5-AG responds rapidly to increasing glucose levels and reflects average levels over a period of a few days to a week. This allows diabetic patients to seek medical intervention as quickly as possible when needed, and to start or change therapy, as indicated. Called GlycoMark, the test is important for maintaining near-normal glucose levels in patients and monitoring glycemic control, and joins other tests such as hemoglobin A1c and fructosamine as tools to manage the disease more effectively. The test was developed by Nippon Kayaku Co. Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) and Tomen America, Inc. (New York, NY, USA).

"Fructosamine has been somewhat disappointing as a measure of short-term glycemic control due to its inherent variability, and the availability of GlycoMark would certainly be a welcome addition to the tools available to monitor glycemia,” said Dr. Steve Edelman, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego.





Related Links:
Nippon Kayaku
Tomen America