The Importance of Testing for Pre-diabetes—Using the Right Tool

Abstract

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases affecting the US healthcare system today, and increasing emphasis is being placed on disease prevention and screening. Early detection of pre-diabetes can be of great benefit to patients as studies have shown that signs of early diabetic complications often exist at the time of diagnosis. Early intervention has been shown to delay, and in some cases prevent, the progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes. Venous blood sampling and core laboratory analysis remain the gold standard for diagnosis. While point-of-care testing (POCT) devices are convenient and readily available, many variables affect the technical performance of POCT devices to allow their use as a reliable diagnostic method. Future diagnostic techniques may include glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) testing or genotyping and antibody screening. Currently, the HbA1c assay is used in the monitoring of diabetes, but its potential for diagnosis of diabetes is currently being examined. Genotyping and antibody screening for type 1 diabetes are showing promise as they add to the understanding of type 2 diabetes. However, this research is still in the early stages and is not yet available for clinical use.