Advanced glycation end products. A new biomarker of diabetes and late complications of disease?

Abstract

Since DCCT study HbA1c plays the role of biomarker oflate diabetes complications. In the last years however ithas been suggested that HbA1c does not exactly refl ectstrue course of the disease. Therefore, intensive effortsare made to fi nd other, more precise tools for monitoringthe metabolic state of diabetic patients. Estimationsof advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) inserum or tissues seems to be one of the options. Newpossibility of non-invasive assessment of AGEs isprovided by the use of skin collagen fl uorescence. Inseveral studies in diabetic patients the positive correlationbetween skin autofl uorescence, HbA1c value andmicrovascular complications was reported. It seemsthat in the future this phenomenon could be used asa useful method for clinical monitoring of diabetescourse.