In a novel study researchers have developed a blood test which reveals if somebody is at raised risk of diabetes about ten years before symptoms appear. The doctors are capable to predict the onset of Type 2 diabetes by gauging levels of five markers in the blood. The new test could give an early warning to those most at risk.
Diabetes occurs when amount of glucose in the blood is too high as body cannot use it properly. Type 1 diabetes occurs when insulin-generating cells in the body have been annihilated and body is incapable to generate any insulin. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body can still generate some insulin but not in sufficient amount.
Among all patients of diabetes only type 2 diabetes accounts for about ninety-five percent. It is treated with healthy diet and exercise, some may require medication. In a study a team led by Dr Thomas Wang from the Massachusetts General Hospital examined historic blood samples taken from nearly two hundred diabetics prior to they developed symptoms of the condition.
Those samples were compared with equal number of healthy people. After calculating levels of sixty-one metabolites that is by product of metabolism, the team identified five amino acids which were higher in people who developed diabetes. Several of these indicators had formerly been shown to be higher in people with insulin resistance.
While examining other aspects like those who are overweight or have family history of diabetes, team found that those with the highest levels of indicators were five times more prone to get the condition in comparison to those with lowest levels, reported the study published in the journal Nature Medicine.
According to Dr Wang, the developer of the test, these findings could give new insight into metabolic alleyways that are modified very early in the process escort to diabetes. They also increase the potential that in chosen people these dimensions could discover those at higher risk of developing diabetes so early pre-emptive procedures could be introduced.
The early diagnosis and effectual management was essential to diminish the risk of complications like heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and blindness. This study could escort to ways to help identify those at risk, as well as giving us new insights into how and why type 2 diabetes develops, explained Victoria King, head of research at Diabetes UK.