Clinical application of hair protein glycation in the assessment of blood glucose control and diabetic neuropathy.

The study assessed hair protein glycation in diabetic patients by measuring furosine levels in 12-cm-long hair, which represented one year of growth. Furosine levels showed a strong correlation with mean fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c values, suggesting that hair glycation could reflect average blood glucose levels over the hair growth period. Additionally, furosine levels in hair correlated better with motor and sensory nerve conduction velocities than fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c levels, indicating that hair glycation might be a valuable indicator of long-term blood glucose trends and its relationship with diabetic complications.