• Glycosylated protein complexes.
• Forms in blood in a non-enzymic, non-insulin-dependent manner.
• [Fructosamine] proportional to [glucose]   Blood biochemistry: glucose   over life-span of protein - mostly albumin (1-2 weeks).
• Used to identify long-term presence of hyperglycemia.
• Less affected by short-term factors: stress, feeding, exercise.
• Useful in prey animals where handling alone can give falsely elevated blood glucose measurements.

Uses

Alone

• The true use of fructosamine in rabbit medicine is still to be fully established, however reference ranges have been documented in experimental studies.
• To distinguish persistent hyperglycemia of diabetes mellitus   Diabetes mellitus  from transient hyperglycemia induced by a stressor.
• Initial levels should be obtained before a treatment course is started.
• Fructosamine can be used to monitor response to insulin therapy in treated diabetic animals.

In combination

• Differentiates hyperglycemic, non-diabetic animals from true diabetics.

Other points

• Fructosamine values should be evaluated in conjunction with clinical signs of the patient and other diagnostic results obtained.