Posted 03/22/2011
The test detects levels of five molecules in the blood which predict who is at risk of developing the disease.
scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital reported in the journal Nature Medicine that early detection of type 2 diabetes could eventually help to prevent complications associated with the disease, including blindness.
"This finding may provide insight into metabolic pathways that are altered early in the process leading to diabetes," says Dr. Thomas Wang, who led the study.
According to the researcher, the test only detects the risk of type 2 diabetes population general, but also among people who have risk factors associated with the disease, such as obesity.
Past studies have found elevated levels of certain amino acids in obese individuals or individuals with insulin resistance. Both disorders precede the development of type 2 diabetes.
Massachusetts scientists wanted to investigate whether these levels of amino acids or other molecules in the blood could be used to predict the future occurrence of type 2 diabetes in individuals who were healthy. Early diagnosis
The researchers followed 2,422 healthy individuals, of whom 201 developed 2 diabetes within 12 years of study.
The researchers measured levels of 61 metabolites in 189 participants who developed the disease and 189 who were free of the disorder.
metabolites are small molecules that are produced in the body's metabolic processes and are released into the bloodstream.
The results showed that five amino acids were increased "significantly" associated with the future development of type 2 diabetes.
Scientists found that individuals with higher levels of these compounds in the blood showed five times more likely to develop the disease during the next 12 years.
As type 2 diabetes is the culmination of the body's inability to metabolize glucose, scientists believe that the possibility of detecting the interruption of this metabolic process in a very early stage could significantly reduce the incidence of the disease. As
says Dr. Robert Gerszten, another of the researchers, "now need to undertake further studies to confirm whether these metabolites play a role in the process leading to diabetes and there is a way we can stop damage. " Meanwhile
Dr Victoria King, head of research at Diabetes UK organization says that "early diagnosis and effective control of type 2 diabetes are crucial to reduce the risk of developing complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and amputation."
"Therefore, it is very important to find a way to identify those at risk of developing the disease."
"This study, in the future, could lead to ways to help us identify those at risk and provide new information on how and why type 2 diabetes develops," added the expert.
Source: BBC
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