Use of Fructosamine Compared to HbA1c as a Marker of Short to Medium Term Glycaemic Control in the Peri-operative Setting

Diabetes is increasingly common in Australia and a recognised risk factor for experiencing an extended hospital admission and complications after surgery. Patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery have a disproportionate burden of diabetes mellitus and post-operative complications. Blood tests such as HbA1c give clinicians an indication of how well controlled a persons diabetes may be. Unfortunately, studies have shown that high HbA1c levels do not always correlate to the risk of developing post-operative complications. Fructosamine is a less commonly used measure of diabetes control that has been shown in some studies to be a more accurate predictor of post-operative complications than HbA1c. This study will investigate how fructosamine levels compared to HbA1 predict an extended length of hospital admission and post-operative complications in patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery.