Glycated albumin is the preferred marker for assessing glycaemic control in advanced chronic kidney disease

Abstract

Diabetic nephropathy is the most common aetiology of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Strict glycaemic control reduces the development and progression of diabetes-related complications, and there is evidence that improved metabolic control improves outcomes in diabetic subjects with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Glycaemic control in people with kidney disease is complex. Changes in glucose and insulin homeostasis may occur as a consequence of loss of kidney function and dialysis. The reliability of measures of long-term glycaemic control is affected by CKD and the accuracy of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in the setting of CKD and ESKD is questioned. Despite the altered character of diabetes in CKD, current guidelines for diabetes management are not specifically adjusted to this patient group. The validity of indicators of longer term glycaemic control has been the focus of increased recent research. This review discusses the current understanding of commonly used indicators of metabolic control (HbA1c, fructosamine, glycated albumin) in the setting of advanced CKD (Stages 4 and 5, glomerular filtration rate 2).