Plasma glycated albumin level and atherosclerosis: results from the Kyushu and Okinawa Population Study (KOPS).
BACKGROUND
Glycated albumin (GA) is a measure of the mean plasma glucose concentration over approximately 2-3 weeks. This study was done to test the hypothesis that GA can serve as a marker for atherosclerosis, similar to glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).


METHODS
HbA1c, plasma GA and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were measured for 1575 residents (age range 26-78 years) of a suburban town in Japan. Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured by ultrasound for each participant.


RESULTS
GA levels had significantly positive correlation coefficients with HbA1c level, hs-CRP level, and max-IMT (all P<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated a GA level of ≥ 15.5% to be optimal for predicting diabetes. A GA level of 15.5% corresponded to an HbA1c level of 5.8%. The hs-CRP and max-IMT values of participants with GA ≥ 15.5% were significantly higher than the values of those with GA <15.5% (median hs-CRP: 2.4 vs. 2.3mg/L, P=0.048; mean max-IMT 0.852 vs. 0.759 mm, P=0.003, respectively). Among obese participants, the hs-CRP and max-IMT values of those with GA ≥ 15.5% (7.5mg/L and 1.014 mm) were significantly higher than the values of those with GA <15.5% (4.7 mg/dL and 0.823 mm) (P=0.024 and P=0.001, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Increased IMT and hs-CRP levels were associated with a high GA level, especially for obese participants, suggesting that GA would be as a useful biomarker for assessing the risk of atherosclerosis.
Department of General Internal Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan. furusyo@gim.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Norihiro
N
Furusyo
Tsunehisa
T
Koga
Masumi
M
Ai
Seiko
S
Otokozawa
Takuji
T
Kohzuma
Hiroaki
H
Ikezaki
Ernst J
EJ
Schaefer
Jun
J
Hayashi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness / Q000009:adverse effects; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000093423:Glycated Serum Albumin
D015415:Biomarkers; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D012709:Serum Albumin; D000093423:Glycated Serum Albumin