|
| |
Blood test can predicts
diabetes risk 10 years before
Main
Article page |
Beauty articles
|
Health page |
Computers|
Diseases |
Education |
Entertainment |
Family
Business |Fitness|
Fruits and Vegetables
|
Jobs |
General |
Personality|
Technology
|
Tourism |
Useful Tips
Biography Page|
Heroes & Incredible peoples
|
Inventions
Experts believe a simple blood test could spot
diabetes up to 10 years before the first symptoms of the disease occur.
By looking at levels of five amino acids in the blood US researchers were able
to correctly identify people who went on to develop type 2 diabetes.
Ultimately the Harvard team hope a test like this could be used to screen for
type 2 diabetes, Nature Medicine says.
Early detection can help prevent related complications like blindness.
Risk prediction
Dr Victoria King, head of research at Diabetes UK, said: "Early diagnosis and
effective management of type 2 diabetes are crucial in reducing the risk of
developing diabetes complications, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney
failure, blindness and amputation.
"Therefore finding ways to identify those who are at risk of developing the
condition are important.
"This research, in future, could lead to ways to help us identify those at risk
as well as giving us new insights into how and why type 2 diabetes develops."
The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to being overweight,
leading a sedentary lifestyle and eating an unhealthy diet.
In many cases the condition can be prevented or delayed by maintaining a healthy
weight and lifestyle, Dr King said.
Aside from keeping an eye on a person's weight and blood sugar, doctors have had
little else they can use to identify at risk individuals.
The test used in the study looks for levels of small molecules in the blood.
Among the 2,422 health volunteers tested, 201 later went on to develop diabetes.
And the researchers found that the early blood tests readily identified these
patients years before they developed any symptoms.
Those with the highest levels of amino acids in their blood were five times as
likely to develop diabetes within the following 12 years of the study.
Dr Robert Gerszten and colleagues who carried out the work say more studies are
needed before the test could be recommended for general use.
---------------------
Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too
high because the body cannot use it properly
Type 1 diabetes develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body have been
destroyed and the body is unable to produce any insulin
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not
enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly
Type 2 diabetes accounts for between 85-95% of all people with diabetes and is
treated with a healthy diet and increased physical activity. Some may also need
medication and/or insulin
---------------
Courtesy:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
| |
|
