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Weighing evidence on diabetes screening

Date:
April 13, 2015
Source:
American College of Physicians
Summary:
Researchers have completed a systematic evidence review to inform an upcoming update of Task Force recommendations on screening asymptomatic, nonpregnant adults for type 2 diabetes.
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Researchers for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) have completed a systematic evidence review to inform an upcoming update of Task Force recommendations on screening asymptomatic, nonpregnant adults for type 2 diabetes. The review is published in Annals of Internal Medicine .

Approximately 21 million persons in the U.S. received a diabetes diagnosis in 2010 and an estimated 8 million cases went undiagnosed. Screening asymptomatic persons for diabetes may lead to earlier identification and earlier or more-intensive treatments, potentially improving health outcomes. Researchers reviewed studies published from 2007 through October 2014 to assess the benefits and harms of screening for type 2 diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, or impaired glucose tolerance among asymptomatic adults.

The evidence suggests that screening asymptomatic, nonpregnant adults for type 2 diabetes could help to delay progression to diabetes by identifying those who could benefit from treatment of impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance. However, screening did not improve mortality rates after 10 years of follow up.

In 2008, the USPSTF recommended that physicians should screen for type 2 diabetes in asymptomatic adults with treated or untreated sustained blood pressure greater than 135/80 mm Hg. This recommendation was based on the ability of screening to identify persons with diabetes and evidence that more-intensive blood pressure treatment was associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular events, including cardiovascular mortality, in patients with diabetes and hypertension.

Since then, evidence shows that an intensive multifactorial intervention for screen-detected diabetes aimed at decreasing glucose and lipid levels and blood pressure was not associated with a reduction in risk for all-cause or cardiovascular mortality or morbidity compared with standard treatment. The USPSTF posted draft recommendations for public comment in October 2014. The Task Force is currently incorporating public comment to finalize those recommendations for future release.


Story Source:

Materials provided by American College of Physicians. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Shelley Selph, Tracy Dana, Ian Blazina, Christina Bougatsos, Hetal Patel, Roger Chou. Screening for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2015; DOI: 10.7326/M14-2221

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American College of Physicians. "Weighing evidence on diabetes screening." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150413184125.htm>.
American College of Physicians. (2015, April 13). Weighing evidence on diabetes screening. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150413184125.htm
American College of Physicians. "Weighing evidence on diabetes screening." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150413184125.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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