Patient System Measures Glucose and Glucoprotein

A new system enables diabetes patients to monitor both glucose and glucoprotein for better disease control. The glucose test requires only six microliters of blood and provides results in as little as five minutes. The once-a-week glucoprotein (fructosamine) test shows overall glucose control and may predict the patient's HbA1c range.

Called In Charge, the system enables patients to monitor the effects of changes in diet, exercise, and medication. An outcomes study evaluated the use of In Charge in 25 diabetes patients over a three-month period. The subjects were randomized into two groups. One group performed glucose-only testing up to four times a day. The other group tested glucose up to four times a day in addition to a weekly fructosamine test and was instructed to call the investigator if fructosamine values rose above 350 micromolar, whereupon further interventions were made by telephone.

The results showed that the average improvement in glycemic control (HbA1c) of the group that performed combined testing was 1.2%, compared to 0.3% in the group performing glucose-only testing. In the combined testing group, 91% of subjects demonstrated improved control, compared to 64% in the second group. The study was performed at the University of California, San Diego, Medical Center (USA).

The In Charge system is the product of LXN Corp. (San Diego, CA, USA).


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