Screening algorithm could identify undiagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes

[DCUK NewsBot]

A new screening algorithm provides a cheaper and more accurate way to identify people with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. The research, which was conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour, also found a number of new risk factors. Previously unknown risk factors include a history of sexual and gender identity disorders, intestinal infections and Chlamydia (which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by 82 per cent). How was the study conducted? The researchers examined the electronic records of 9,948 people. The anonymous data was taken from hospitals, clinics and doctor's offices throughout the US, evaluating vital signs, prescription medications taken by each patient, and their reported ailments. Half of the data was used to develop an algorithm that could predict the likelihood of type 2 diabetes in a person. Once this had been developed, the researchers used the other half of the data to test it. Through testing the algorithm, the researchers found several previously undiscovered risk factors for type 2 diabetes, including the sexual and gender identity disorders, which increased the risk by 130 per cent, and Chlamydia, which increased the risk by 82 per cent. Intestinal infections such as colitis, enteritis and gastroenteritis increased the risk by 88 per cent. By comparison, high body mass index (BMI), a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes, increased the risk by 101 per cent. Other factors linked to type 2 diabetes included herpes, chicken pox and shingles. Several factors, which were previously thought to have no effect on type 2 diabetes risk, were found to decrease the risk. These factors included being prone to migraines and taking anti-anxiety medication. How might this study change the way we screen people for type 2 diabetes? Further research is needed to work out why these new factors might affect type 2 diabetes risk. These findings have the potential to change how people are screened for type 2 diabetes. Traditional risk factors, such as BMI, age and family history, may not be the most effective way of screening. "With widespread implementation, these discoveries have the potential to dramatically decrease the number of undetected cases of type 2 diabetes, prevent complications from the disease and save lives," said Ariana Anderson, assistant research professor and statistician at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour. "Given that one in four people with diabetes don't know they have the disease, it's very important to be able to say, 'This person has all these other diagnoses, so we're a little bit more confident that she is likely to have diabetes. We need to be sure to give her the formal laboratory test, even if she's asymptomatic.'" The study does not suggest that current screening methods don't work. Generally, they are accurate. What this study does suggest is that they could be made even more accurate - and also cheaper. "There's so much information available in the medical record that could be used to determine whether a patient needs to be screened, and this information isn't currently being used," said Mark Cohen, a Semel Institute professor in residence, who also acts as the director of UCLA's Laboratory of Integrative Neuroimaging Technology. "This is a treasure trove of information that has not begun to be exploited to full extent possible." The findings are published in the Journal of Biomedical Informatics.

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[BeccyB]

Fascinating - especially around sexual & gender identity - I wonder how on earth that relates?

 

[RFAroy]

I would go along with that; as a child I was badly affected by both Measles and Chickenpox, 15-years ago had Shingles which took ages to clear-up plus have acid-reflux and H. Pylori type 1 infection which flairs up every couple of years. Had 3 x Stents fitted after a heart attack about 10-years ago, T2 diabetese was diagnosed about 5-years ago (no signs before), now having treatment for non-alcoholic-fatty-liver syndrome because of the cocktail of medications I have been advised to take over the last twenty odd years which have/are buggering up my liver.

Therefore it seems to me they might have something going on there in the study, but was it just the underlying stated factors and infections that have a detrimental affect on the pancreas that cause type-2 diabetes.

I would be interested to know if there were any findings in the study that found any evidence of inter-reactions of treatments regimes such as long, intermittent or short term treatments for the stated risk factors using antibiotics/anti-acids/anti-fungal (and heart) medicines etc., being part of the causation factors for T2 diabetese or was it only dedicated to the stated risk factors and diseases that were highlighted but not their treatments insidious effect on the bodies organs, therefore, did the study take in to account the treatment regimes and medicines side effects on the causing of T2 diabetes as all the stated risk factors are potentially difficult to fully eradicate.

I await further developments on this study.

RFARoy