Diagnosis of diabetes
SE Inzucchi - New England Journal of Medicine, 2012 - Mass Medical Soc
SE Inzucchi
New England Journal of Medicine, 2012•Mass Medical SocKey Clinical Points Diagnosis of Diabetes Early screening and diagnosis allow for the
identification of at-risk persons (so that preventive measures, primarily lifestyle changes,
may be undertaken) and those with early disease (so that treatment can be initiated). The
diagnostic cutoff point for diabetes is a fasting plasma glucose level of 126 mg per deciliter
(7.0 mmol per liter) or more or a glycated hemoglobin level of 6.5% or more; the diagnosis
requires confirmation by the same or the other test. A fasting glucose level of 100 to 125 mg …
identification of at-risk persons (so that preventive measures, primarily lifestyle changes,
may be undertaken) and those with early disease (so that treatment can be initiated). The
diagnostic cutoff point for diabetes is a fasting plasma glucose level of 126 mg per deciliter
(7.0 mmol per liter) or more or a glycated hemoglobin level of 6.5% or more; the diagnosis
requires confirmation by the same or the other test. A fasting glucose level of 100 to 125 mg …
Key Clinical Points
Diagnosis of Diabetes
- Early screening and diagnosis allow for the identification of at-risk persons (so that preventive measures, primarily lifestyle changes, may be undertaken) and those with early disease (so that treatment can be initiated).
- The diagnostic cutoff point for diabetes is a fasting plasma glucose level of 126 mg per deciliter (7.0 mmol per liter) or more or a glycated hemoglobin level of 6.5% or more; the diagnosis requires confirmation by the same or the other test.
- A fasting glucose level of 100 to 125 mg per deciliter (5.6 to 6.9 mmol per liter) is consistent with prediabetes; the range of glycated hemoglobin levels that are diagnostic of prediabetes is controversial, but the American Diabetes Association recommends a range of 5.7 to 6.4%.
- Hemoglobinopathies and conditions of altered red-cell turnover can give spurious results for glycated hemoglobin; racial and ethnic differences in glycated hemoglobin levels have been reported for given ambient glucose levels.
- Testing of glycated hemoglobin or fasting plasma glucose appears to identify different groups of patients with diabetes and prediabetes, yet both tests identify patients at similar risk for adverse sequelae.
The New England Journal Of Medicine