The levels of fructosamine in the blood are a reflection of the overall glucose levels that someone is experiencing. That’s why this blood test is often used to help someone who has a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes mellitus to control their glucose levels. Instead of providing an immediate, real-time result, the fructosamine blood test provides an average glucose reading of the last 14-21 days.
It is not uncommon for the fructosamine blood test to be used in conjunction with A1C blood tests to determine the presence of diabetes or how effectively it is being treated. The A1C blood test is usually more accepted because it is more well-known and chronically high levels of glucose have been charted into a diagnostic criteria. The American Diabetes Association recognizes the validity of the fructosamine blood test and considers it a substitute for the A1C blood test when it isn’t available.
When Will the Fructosamine Blood Test Be Ordered?
Medical providers will typically order this blood test when specific monitoring information must be obtained about a patient. These are the most common reasons why it will currently be ordered.
When rapid changes in diabetes treatment must be monitored.
Unlike the A1C blood test that takes 8-12 weeks to reflect changes, the fructosamine blood test can tell medical providers if dietary, lifestyle, and medication changes are effective in controlling blood sugar levels in weeks instead of months.
When a woman with diabetes becomes pregnant.
Women who are already diabetic when they become pregnant must maintain proper glycemic control to bring the pregnancy to term. Pregnant women have changing glucose needs much more frequently than women who are not pregnant and this fructosamine blood test helps to monitor this.
When red blood cell life spans are short.
When someone has a condition that affects the lifespan of their red blood cells, then the A1C blood test cannot be accurate. The fructosamine blood test will then be ordered to provide a more accurate representation of diabetic control or be used for diagnostic purposes.
This blood test will be ordered whenever glucose levels of the last 3 weeks or so need to be monitored for some reason. The most common issue is the start of a diabetic treatment plan, but it can also be ordered to track exercise compliance and other issues that may cause diabetes mellitus to go out of control.
What Do the Fructosamine Blood Test Results Mean?
The fructosamine blood test results must be evaluated within the context of all other clinical findings. In general terms, however, the higher the average blood glucose level happens to be, then the greater the chance of a diabetic condition being present. Medical providers typically use this blood test to monitor trends instead of to receive a specific result as they do with the A1C blood test to diagnose diabetes mellitus.
For example: a patient who trends in the normal range with their fructosamine blood test results and then has a high result may indicate that lifestyle habits have changed or that diabetes has begun to form. People who have diabetes under good control will often have similar fructosamine results as people who are not diabetic.
Sometimes low results occur with this blood test because there is a decreased level of protein within the blood. A number of physical conditions and eating habits can cause this to happen, so to prevent a false low from occurring, the fructosamine blood test results will be compared to the daily glucose monitoring that is being conducted.
Vitamin C levels that are high or the presence of hyperthyroidism may also affect the overall results of this blood test. It is not a recommended test for those who have not been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.
Home Testing Results Are No Longer Available
For those who have been monitoring their diabetes mellitus for some time, they may remember that a home test for fructosamine was available for some time. This test was discontinued in 2002 because the test results seemed to be producing results that were abnormally high, thus causing people to adjust their diabetic treatment plans when it was unnecessary. The fructosamine blood test can only be ordered by a doctor today.
Fasting is not required for this blood test. It measures glycated proteins and can be measured at any time of day. It will not be affected by any of the foods that have been eaten over the course of the day.
Daily glucose monitoring is beneficial because it helps to control the blood sugar spikes that can be dangerous to one’s health. The fructosamine blood test helps to provide a more general overview of the success or failure of a new treatment plan. Working in conjunction with the A1C blood test, it is a useful tool that helps to manage this sometimes difficult disease. Use this guide to discuss what options are available to you with your medical provider so that a diabetic condition can be brought under control and then maintained.