HAMBURG (Germany), October 4, 2023 (APMnews) – Opportunistic screening for type 2 diabetes in emergency departments by measuring HbA1c and/or calculating the Findrisc risk score would allow a significant number of patients to be diagnosed earlier. Adults, suggests a British study was presented as a poster at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) congress this week.
“Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be absent and difficult to detect in the early stages, and the disease can go unnoticed for up to ten years, which can lead to long-term complications such as heart disease, nerve damage and retinopathy,” recalls Professor Edward Jude of from the University of Manchester (United Kingdom) in a congress press release.
The researcher and his colleagues therefore conducted a study that estimated the prevalence of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes in patients treated in the emergency department at Tameside General Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne, United Kingdom.
Around 1,400 patients without known diabetes were randomly selected. Her glycated hemoglobin level (HbA1c) was measured and her Findrisc score (Finnish diabetes risk score) was calculated.
According to HbA1c measurements, most patients (61%) had normal blood glucose levels, while 30% were considered prediabetes (HbA1c between 39 and 47 mmol/mol) and the remaining 9% were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, with their HbA1c was higher than 48 mmol/mol.
Patients with prediabetes and diabetes were significantly older than the others, with an average of 56.9 and 56 years compared to 51.1 years.
In addition, patients diagnosed with diabetes had an average body mass index (BMI) of 32.9 kg/m², which was significantly higher than that of patients in the other two categories (around 28.6 kg/m² for both groups ).
The authors also show that each unit increase in Findrisc score is associated with a 7% increased risk of prediabetes and a 15% increase in diabetes.
We recall that recently in France the National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam) proposed to implement a systematic diabetes screening program for 45-50 year olds, using this score to identify those most at risk (see communication of March 7, 2023). at 5:06 p.m.). We also note that the use of the Findrisc score has been recommended by the High Authority for Health (HAS) since 2015.
“People who come to the emergency room can be specifically screened for diabetes using a simple and inexpensive blood test,” conclude Professor Jude and his colleagues in the conclusion of their study.
“Diabetes screening could be performed on all adult patients presenting to the emergency department and should be incorporated into recommendations,” they add. “Early diagnosis and treatment will reduce the burden on health care and the patient in the long term.”
pl/nc/APMnews