Fructosamine Liquid

Fructosamine kinetic colorimetric assay manufactured by Sentinel Diagnostics

When glucose levels in the blood are elevated over a period of time, glucose molecules permanently combine with proteins in the blood in a process called glycation. Albumin is the predominant protein in the blood but other serum proteins and haemoglobin can also be glycated. Fructosamine is formed when the carbonyl group of glucose reacts with an amino group of a protein. The more glucose that is present in the blood the greater the amount of glycated protein and haemoglobin formed. Glycated protein and haemoglobin will remain combined with glucose for the life of the protein or red blood cell and therefore provides a record of average blood glucose in a time period. Red blood cells have a life-span of 120 days do glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C) represents average blood glucose over the past 2-3 months. Serum proteins have a shorter life-span, 14-21 days, so glycated serum proteins (GSP) (or fructosamine) reflect the average glucose levels over a 2-3 week period. Effective management of diabetes aims to keep blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible in order to avoid complications and progressive damage associated with elevated glucose. Fructosamine measurement is used to assess glycaemic status and help monitor the effectiveness of a treatment regime.

In alkaline medium fructosamine is its ketoaminic form reduces nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) to formazan. The rate of this reaction, as determine by measuring absorbance at 546nm, is directly proportional to the concentration of fructosamine in the sample. The Sentinel Fructosamine Kit can be used to determine fructosamine in serum or plasma. Measuring range 11-1000µmol/L. The Fructosamine reagents are supplied ready to use: 3x13ml Reagent 1 and 3 x 4ml Reagent 2.

The Sentinel Diagnostics Fructosamine kit is suitable for manual methods of determination as detailed on the accompanying pack insert and can also be automated - a range of applications for clinical chemistry analysers are available (please enquire). Reagents are stored at 2-8C and the on board stability is 28 days with a calibration interval of 7 days. The assay should be calibrated with the fructosamine calibrator supplied separately (1635101) which is standardised against glycated poly-L-Lysine and 14C-glucose. The recommended QCs for this test are Fructosamine Controls (1635201).