title: Correlation between molecular weight of plasma albumin determined with mass spectrometry and glycation indices in factory workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the difference in molecular weights of albumin in factory workers caused by non-enzymatic glycation of plasma albumin using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF/MS), and examine the epidemiological validity of this method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight male workers were tested by random sampling. The difference in molecular weights (ΔM) between the subjects' albumin and human serum albumin was determined by MALDI TOF/MS. Correlations between ΔM vs. fructosamine, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HbAlc were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ΔM showed a significant correlation with all of the tested glycation indices (ΔM vs. fructosamine: r=0.487, p<0.001) (ΔM vs. FPG: r=0.482, p<0.01) (ΔM vs. HbAlc: r=0.397, p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since a significant correlation between ΔM and the glycation indices was found in this investigation, further study with a larger number of subjects is needed for use in clinical applications.
authors: Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamada-oka, 565-0871, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Ichiro
authors: I
authors: Nakamoto
authors: Kanehisa
authors: K
authors: Morimoto