Screen Early to Prevent Diabetes Progression

There is a widespread need to implement routine screening for prediabetes and early diabetes in patients. By treating the symptoms early, it is possible to delay or prevent the illness’ progression and the complications associated with diabetes, according to a recent statement from diabetes researchers.

“Diabetes is generally diagnosed and first treated about 10 years later than it could be,” said Lawrence S. Phillips, MD, an author of the study and professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and member at Atlanta VA Medical Center.
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“There is a strong, new argument that by combining screening to find prediabetes and early diabetes, along with management aimed to keep glucose levels as close to normal as possible, we can change the natural history and improve the lives of our patients,” he said.

According to researchers, their new argument is based on the results of several trials that showed that glucose-lowering medication and lifestyle changes prevented the transition from prediabetes to diabetes.

Researchers found that once these interventions were discontinued, previously treated groups maintained lower levels of diabetes development than control participants.

The studies further showed that once participants maintained normal glucose levels (even briefly) during the trials, there was a significant decrease in the likelihood of onset of type 2 diabetes.

Therefore, researchers recommend that adults should be screened systematically to find prediabetes and early type 2 diabetes, and patients who are likely to benefit from treatment should begin aim to keep their blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible.

The authors noted that a randomized, controlled trial should be conducted next to support their hypothesis.

The complete study is published in the September issue of Diabetes Care.

-Michelle Canales

References:

Phillips LS, Ratner RE, Buse JB, Kahn SE. We can change the natural history of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2014 Sept [epub ahead of print] doi: 10.2337/dc14-0817.

Emory News Center. Diabetes researchers urge screening and management to benefit millions. September 23, 2014. http://news.emory.edu/stories/2014/09/jjm_diabetes_screening_natural_history/index.html. Accessed September 30, 2014.