System for glycated protein detection

1. A method of detecting the presence of glycated proteins or peptides in a sample comprising carrying out steps of first assessing the sample for fluorescence, subjecting the sample to UV radiation, and reassessing the sample for an increase in fluorescence relative to any fluorescence assessed in said first assessing step, the presence of fluorescence at said first assessing step and an increase in fluorescence at said reassessing step being indicative of the presence of glycated proteins or peptides.

2. A method according to claim 1 including subjecting the sample between assessments to UV radiation in a wavelength range 200-300 nm.

3. A method according to claim 1 including subjecting the sample between assessments to UV radiation in a wavelength range 250-260 nm.

4. A method according to claim 1 including subjecting the sample between assessments to UV radiation of about 254 nm wavelength.

5. A method according to claim 1 including subjecting the sample to UV radiation between assessments for less than 5 minutes.

6. A method according to claim 1 including measuring actual fluorescence of the sample in said assessment steps.

7. A method according to claim 6 including measuring any change in actual fluorescence between the assessment and the reassessment steps.

8. A method according to claim 1 comprising assessing and reassessing the fluorescence of the sample by reference to substantially only horizontally polarised fluorescent light.

9. A method according to claim 8 including causing the fluorescence to pass a filter oriented to pass substantially only horizontally polarised light.

10. A method according to claim 9 including in the assessment and reassessment steps exposing the sample to vertically polarised light as excitation light.

11. A method according to claim 1 including spectrally resolving the fluorescence observed in the assessment and reassessment steps.

12. A method according to claim 11 including spectrally resolving the fluorescence observed in the assessment and reassessment steps and analysing a shape of the fluorescence.

13. A method according to claim 1 including assessing the fluorescence of the sample, subjecting the sample to a pulse of UV radiation, and reassessing the fluorescence of the sample after a delay.

14. A method according to claim 13 including reassessing the fluorescence of the sample after a period of time substantially corresponding to a fluorescence lifetime of a class of glycated proteins or peptides.

15. A method according to claim 1 including assessing the fluorescence of the sample, subjecting the sample to a modulated UV signal, and reassessing the fluorescence of the sample for a modulated response.

16. A method according to claim 1 wherein the sample is a portion of skin of a living person or animal or a sample from a living person or animal.

17. A method according to claim 1 wherein the sample is of or from a person and including assessing the sample for the presence of glycated proteins or peptides as indicative of the presence of a disease in the person.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the disease is selected from any one or more of retinal dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, cancer, and renal disease.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the disease is diabetes.

20. A method of diagnosing diabetes in a person or a likelihood of a person becoming diabetic, which comprises steps of first assessing the skin or a blood sample of the person for fluorescence, subjecting the skin or blood sample to UV radiation, and reassessing the skin or blood sample for an increase in fluorescence relative to any fluorescence assessed in said first assessing step, the presence of fluorescence at said first assessing step and an increase in fluorescence at said reassessing step being indicative of the presence of diabetes or likelihood of the person becoming diabetic.