[Determining the time of diabetes mellitus onset by the level of glycosylated keratin in hair].

The study investigated glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and glycosylated keratin levels along hair lengths in 17 patients with newly detected insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), 14 patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and 41 healthy subjects. In healthy individuals, glycosylated keratin levels ranged from 0.094-0.124 μmol of fructosamine per 100 mg of hair. For IDDM patients, glycosylated keratin levels helped determine the onset of diabetes, revealing a 1-2 year period of latent carbohydrate metabolism issues before manifestation. In NIDDM patients, elevated glycosylated keratin levels were observed, but determining the disease onset was challenging due to limited hair length and a longer latent period exceeding 2-3 years.