Predicting T2D 20 Years In Advance

Recent studies strongly suggest that physicians have the power to identify and track type 2 diabetes (T2D) markers up to 20 years before a person is officially diagnosed.¹ Nope. That’s not a typo!

A Japanese study, presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in October 2018, tracked more than 27,000 adults (average age 49) without diabetes between 2005 and 2015. Researchers concluded that increased fasting glucose, higher body mass index and impaired insulin sensitivity are detectable up to 10 years before the diagnosis of diabetes as well as prediabetes. In addition, elevated metabolic markers for diabetes may be detectable more than 20 years prior to diagnosis.¹

During the 20-year study, 1,067 of diabetes cases were identified due to an increase in BMI, fasting glucose, and insulin resistance.¹ About 4,781 study participants developed prediabetes. According to the researchers, a healthy lifestyle intervention is essential as soon as a person’s blood sugar starts to rise.²

A second study, conducted by Swedish researchers, agrees that it may be possible to predict risk of diabetes 20 years before it develops – and by doing so, physicians may be able to help prevent the disease from occurring altogether. This study followed 296,439 participants who were not diagnosed with diabetes. While conducting the study, researchers found that some participants revealed predictive biomarkers.³

Study results show that subtle increases within each of the participants’ biomarkers existed years before the diagnosis of T2D.³ The study then concluded that the development of T2D is often associated with elevations of glucose and lipid levels, 20 years before an actual diagnosis. The study also suggests that certain diabetogenic processes are connected to the resistance of chronic insulin before T2D develops.⁴

Opening Doors

Being able to identify and track potential biomarkers that predict T2D opens doors for predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM).⁶ In this way, physicians may gain the power to stop the disease before onset. However, at this time, there are no physician recommendations to prevent the onset of T2D in those who test positive for T2D markers 20 years in advance. Hopefully, new clinical studies will lead to applicable guidance. Stay tuned…  

Resources

1. Diabetes may begin more than 20 years before diagnosis https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181004192202.htm
2. Signs of type 2 diabetes appear 20 years before diagnosis https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/health-and-wellbeing/061018/signs-of-type-2-diabetes- appear-20-years-before-diagnosis.html
3. Perspective | Research shows diabetes risk can be seen 20 years in advance. Here’s what to do about it. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/what-to-do-about-research-that-shows-diabetes-risk- can-be-seen-20-years-in-advance/2018/04/24/a0326996-4346-11e8-bba2-0976a82b05a2_story.html? noredirect=on&utm_term=.628380920777
4. Elevations of metabolic risk factors 20 years or more before diagnosis of type 2 diabetes: Experience from the AMORIS study https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dom.13241
5. CDC Press Releases https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0718-diabetes-report.html
6. Predictive biomarkers for type 2 of diabetes mellitus: Bridging the gap between systems research and personalized medicine https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187439191830099X