Estimation of Duration of Symptoms in Fulminant Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Using HbA1c or Glycated Albumin

Fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus (FT1DM) develops as a result of very rapid and almost complete destruction of pancreatic cells. Because of an abrupt increase in plasma glucose, HbA1c and glycated albumin (GA) might increase along with duration of symptoms in FT1DM patients. We attempted to devise a formula to estimate duration of symptoms based on the increased levels in HbA1c or GA. Four patients who developed FT1DM during the course of type 2 diabetes mellitus and in whom HbA1c was measured before onset were investigated in this study. The percents of the estimated duration of symptoms calculated from HbA1c (four patients) and GA (two patients) to the actual duration were 137 ± 88% and 122%, respectively. In FT1DM patients in whom HbA1c and/or GA before onset and at the time of ketoacidosis are measured, duration of symptoms might be estimated with using the increased levels in HbA1c or GA.