New research presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) suggests that several common conditions start to increase in the years leading up to a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
These findings may open the door to earlier diagnosis and intervention for some patients.
Researchers from the UK, including Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester University, and Salford Royal Hospital, analyzed data from the Diabetes Alliance for Research in England (DARE) Study.
They examined the accumulation of common clinical conditions in 1,932 adults with and without type 2 diabetes.
Their analysis revealed that for individuals who were eventually diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, several common conditions increased consistently in the years leading up to diagnosis.
These included high blood pressure, respiratory tract infections, heart conditions (such as heart failure and heart attack), asthma, and eye, nose, and throat infections.
Immediately before a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, more than one-third of individuals experienced high blood pressure and respiratory tract infections, while around one-fifth had heart conditions or infections of the eye, nose, and throat.
Approximately one-tenth of individuals developed asthma.
In contrast, the trajectory over time for individuals without type 2 diabetes showed much less dramatic increases in these conditions, with fewer individuals experiencing them.
After a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, the proportion of individuals experiencing high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), retinopathy (a diabetes-related eye condition), and infections continued to rise for about 15 years before plateauing.
Heart conditions and asthma also increased in those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Adrian Heald, a co-author of the study, suggests that understanding the long-term clinical history of type 2 diabetes years before diagnosis could allow people to make lifestyle changes to prevent the disease.
He notes that subacute inflammation, which can manifest as conditions like hypertension, asthma, or acute infections, may serve as a precursor to the later onset of type 2 diabetes.
However, it’s essential to note that this study is observational and cannot prove causation.
The authors acknowledge potential limitations, such as the accuracy of medical coding, the diversity of type 2 diabetes subgroups, and the influence of socioeconomic factors on multimorbidity.
In conclusion, this research provides valuable insights into the early signs of type 2 diabetes and the potential for earlier diagnosis and intervention, potentially improving outcomes for individuals at risk of the disease.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about Vitamin D and type 2 diabetes, and to people with diabetes, some fruits are better than others.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies that low calorie diets may help reverse diabetes, and 5 vitamins that may prevent complication in diabetes.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
