1 In 5 “Healthy” People Actually Have Slightly Higher Blood Sugar Level

The classification of the blood sugar regulation process based on mathematical modeling of continuous measurements has promising applications as a new metric of diabetes. This new way to catch the earliest signs of impaired blood sugar levels can prevent prediabetes.

Researchers outlined this new method of analysis in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health. When they applied their patented mathematical method to data obtained from continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), scientists found about 1 in 5 study participants, considered healthy by medical standards, had glucose metabolism like those with prediabetes.

Is Blood Sugar Monitoring Without Diabetes Worthwhile?

For people with diabetes, blood glucose levels can rise and fall like a wild roller-coaster ride with steep drops and peaks. Researchers found a similar pattern in patients with IGH, albeit those patterns were more like gentle waves than dramatic peaks, but intervention in this population could limit the likelihood of progression to full diabetes.

Diabetes Essentials: Types, Complications, Management & Treatment
Diabetes is a metabolic disease caused by insulin deficiency that leads to high blood sugar levels and several associated complications if left untreated.

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About 34 million people have diabetes in the U.S. and one in three Americans have prediabetes or diabetes. North of the border, 11.7 million Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes. Of those with prediabetes in the U.S., more than 80 percent do not know they have it.

At the early prediabetes stage (), individuals have a reduced likelihood of progressing to full T2D after lifestyle interventions. Unfortunately, most individuals with prediabetes are unaware of their condition, and an estimated 75 million Americans with prediabetes are currently undiagnosed.

In recent years, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) have become available to individuals with and without T2D. After applying the sensor to the arm, the device automatically measures the interstitial glucose concentration as frequently as every 5 minutes, eliminating the requirement for multiple daily finger pricks.

Self-Care Practices in Diabetes Management
Self-care management in a diabetic patient requires skills to make essential changes in routine day-to-day activities for controlling the disease and improving the quality of life in a natural way.

Besides improved user experience, CGMs provide information-rich time-series data that can be analyzed for not only glucose levels but also the dynamic properties of glycemic variability (GV).

Many studies have been conducted to relate current GV metrics to diagnostics, outcomes of diabetes, and other metrics of diabetes control; however, no consensus has been reached on implementation. Furthermore, the number of GV metrics can make it difficult to determine the most appropriate or accurate value for a given situation.

Screening For Impaired Glucose Tolerance: New Way to Detect Prediabetes

In the new study, a total of 384 people were equipped with a CGM for the study and assessed by a physician over two weeks. Participants were diagnosed diabetic, pre-diabetic, or healthy, according to guidelines outlined by the American Diabetes Association.

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After applying the mathematical model, patients were then re-classified into two groups based on their glucose homeostasis parameters: effective or impaired. 20 percent of participants, who were assessed using the standard screening tools for diabetes and cleared as healthy by a physician, were then found to have impaired glucose homeostasis ().

With research suggesting it is possible to reverse diabetes, or at least slow its progression, there is growing demand for screening tools that can flag at-risk individuals. Screening and monitoring involve reviewing risk factors such as age, BMI, and family history; and diagnosis relies primarily on the blood tests like glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ()and Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT).

Quiz on Diabetes
Diabetes has replaced every other condition to become the fastest growing lifestyle disease, globally. This disease also impacts children. Some people are more inclined to develop diabetes than others. Do you belong to the high- risk group? Spend 5 minutes to find out.

Early detection and intervention are critical in the management of Type 2 diabetes, so this new method has the potential to have a significant impact on the lives of millions of people worldwide.

References:

Screening for Diabetes in Adults - (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1499267117308146 )
Screening for Impaired Glucose Homeostasis: A Novel Metric of Glycemic Control - (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949761223000147 )
Significance of HbA1c Test in Diagnosis and Prognosis of Diabetic Patients. - (https://europepmc.org/article/med/27398023 )

Source-Eurekalert