Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Using blood fructosamine to monitor diabetes control in dogs
By Kuzi, Sharon et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2023·Koret School of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical utility of serum fructosamine in long-term monitoring of diabetes mellitus in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 75 dogs with diabetes was monitored over time to see how well a blood test called serum fructosamine (sFA) could help track their condition. The results showed that higher sFA levels were linked to poorer control of diabetes, while lower levels might indicate hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). This test can be a useful tool for vets to assess how well a dog's diabetes is being managed, but it should be used alongside other evaluations. If a dog's sFA levels drop, it may require closer monitoring to ensure their blood sugar stays stable.
People also search for: dog diabetes management · serum fructosamine test for dogs · signs of low blood sugar in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Serum fructosamine (sFA) is used to assess glycaemic control in dogs with diabetes mellitus (DM). Nevertheless, its interpretation is hindered by several limitations. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluates the long-term diagnostic performance of sFA for monitoring clinical control of DM. sFA, bodyweight, appetite, presence of polyuria/polydipsia and clinical scores (CS; well-controlled DM, CS-0; uncontrolled DM, CS-1) were recorded. RESULTS: The study included 75 dogs (321 visits; median 3 visits/dog; range 1-19). Mean sFA was higher (p < 0.001) on visits with CS-1 (584 μmol/L; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 561-608) than on visits with CS-0 (506 μmol/L; 95% CI 484-528). Increases in sFA increased   the odds ratio for CS-1 (1.37; 95% CI 1.24-1.52, p < 0.001). sFA was moderately predictive of the CS (area under receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.75; 95% CI 0.70-0.80; p < 0.0001), with a 486 μmol/L cutoff yielding 80% sensitivity and 59% specificity. Mean sFA was lower (p = 0.005) when hypoglycaemic episodes were suspected (496 μmol/L; 95% CI 450-541) than in their absence (572 μmol/L; 95% CI 548-596). sFA is moderately accurate for classifying CS in diabetic dogs. Decreasing sFA over follow-ups indicates improved CS but might suggest occurrence of hypoglycaemic episodes. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design, variable treatments and comorbidities are limitations of this study. CONCLUSION: sFA has a moderate clinical utility in the long-term monitoring of diabetic dogs, but may serve as a first-line, accessible diagnostic tool. Discordant CS and sFA evaluation, or decreased sFA, warrants additional monitoring (i.e., continuous glucose monitoring).
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36180819/