Determining the Time of Diabetes Mellitus Onset by the Level of Glycosylated Keratin in Hair

The study investigated the levels of glycosylated keratin in hair to determine the onset time of diabetes mellitus. It involved 17 patients with newly detected insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) aged 7 to 33, 14 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) aged 46 to 73, and 41 healthy subjects. In IDDM patients, glycosylated keratin levels helped estimate the disease onset, revealing a 1-2 year latent period of carbohydrate metabolism derangements. However, in NIDDM patients, determining the disease onset was challenging due to limited hair length and a longer latent period exceeding 2-3 years.