World Diabetes Day 2022: Tests Used To Diagnose Diabetes And Prediabetes

According to International Diabetes Federation (IDF) statistics, as of 2019, India had about 77 million diabetic people.

World Diabetes Day 2022: According to International Diabetes Federation (IDF) statistics, as of 2019, India had about 77 million diabetic people. Its population could reach 101 million by 2030 and 134.2 million by 2045. Regarding diabetes cases among those aged 20 to 79, India comes in second. As of 2019, 12.1 million people in India over 65 are being managed for diabetes. With the increasing prevalence of diabetes, it is pertinent to check sugar levels regularly. Every individual with a family history of diabetes or people with a sedentary lifestyle must utilize the services of professionals to check their condition.

Different tests are used to detect diabetes, and individuals should be aware of the various options.

TEST OF FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE (FPG) TEST

The FPG is most reliable when performed early in the morning.  Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG), a form of prediabetes that shows one is more likely to develop Type-2 Diabetes but do not yet have it, is present if their fasting blood sugar level is 100-125 mg/dL. A person will have diabetes if the test is repeated the next day and the result is 126 mg/dL or higher.

Table:1 displays the findings and their significance.

TABLE 1

1. No Plasma Glucose Result (mg/dL) Diagnosis
2. 99 and below                                Normal
3. 100 to 125                                      Prediabetes

(Impaired fasting glucose)

126 and above                                Diabetes

TEST OF ORAL GLUCOSE TOLERANCE TEST (OGTT)

The FPG test is more practical to give. However, research has shown that the OGTT is more sensitive for detecting prediabetes. One must go at least eight hours without eating or drinking before taking the OGTT. A liquid containing 75 grams of glucose dissolved in water is consumed, and the individual’s plasma glucose is evaluated before and two hours afterward. Impaired glucose tolerance, often known as IGT, is a type of prediabetes that indicates one is more likely to develop Type-2 Diabetes but do not currently have it if two hours after ingesting the drinks, their blood sugar level is between 140-199 mg/dL. A two-hour glucose level of 200 mg/dL or higher, which can be verified by performing the test again the following day, indicates that the individual is having Diabetes.

Table 2 displays the results together with their significance.

TABLE 2:

S No      2-Hour Plasma Glucose Result (mg/dL)           Diagnosis

1             139 and below                                                          Normal

2             140 to 199                                                                 Prediabetes

(impaired glucose tolerance)

200 and above                                                         Diabetes

Based on plasma glucose readings taken during the OGTT, gestational diabetes is also diagnosed. Throughout the test, the blood sugar is monitored four times. Pregnancy-related diabetes is present if your blood sugar levels are higher than usual more than twice during the test.

Table 3 displays the results of the OGTT for gestational diabetes as being above normal.

Table 3.

S No       When      Plasma Glucose Result (mg/dL)

1        Fasting         95 or higher

2        At 1 hour     180 or higher

3        At 2 hours   155 or higher

4        At 3 hours   140 or higher

Test for Random Plasma Glucose

If you experience any of the following symptoms in addition to a random blood glucose level of 200 mg/dL or higher, you may have diabetes:

• More frequent urination
• An increase in thirst
• An unexpected loss of weight

Other signs and symptoms include tiredness, blurred vision, increased appetite, and unhealing wounds. Your physician will repeat an OGTT or FPG blood glucose test the next day to confirm the diabetes diagnosis.

For those with diabetes or prediabetes, Hemoglobin A1c is now advised as a screening tool or diagnostic test (the test is typically used to assess blood glucose control in diabetes). Patients over several months). Having a prediabetes HbA1c of 5.7% to 6.4% indicates that it is possible to reverse it by making lifestyle adjustments. An HbA1c level of 6.5% or higher indicates diabetes.

Trivitron’s NANO H5 & NANO H110, which are high-performance liquid chromatography analyzers are used for HbA1c detection in less than 3 minutes. These HPLC-based HbA1c analyzers are used for monitoring diabetes, thalassemia and hemoglobin variants.

(Inputs by Chandra Ganjoo, Group Chief Executive Officer, Trivitron Healthcare)