We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




New Genetic Test Improves Diabetes Prediction and Classification

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 01 Jul 2025

Diabetes disrupts the body’s ability to control blood sugar levels. More...

Type 1 diabetes arises when the immune system mistakenly destroys the pancreas’ insulin-producing beta cells, requiring patients to take insulin injections daily. Type 2 diabetes, often linked to high BMI, either reduces insulin production or impairs the body’s response to insulin. Several treatments exist for type 2 diabetes, and nearly 50% of individuals with a short duration of the disease can achieve remission with treatment. However, up to 40% of adults with type 1 diabetes are initially misdiagnosed as having type 2, which can delay appropriate insulin therapy and lead to complications. This diagnostic error is especially prevalent in China, where many patients do not match the typical age or weight characteristics of their diagnosed diabetes type. So far, diabetes classification in East Asian populations has relied on symptom presentation and standard diagnostic tests. Early detection typically involves checking for islet autoantibodies—proteins indicating beta cell destruction—but about 25% of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes patients show no detectable autoantibodies.

Researchers at Second Xiangya Hospital (Changsha, China) have now improved a genetic-based approach to determine whether someone has type 1 or type 2 diabetes in Chinese populations. This method is currently being used in a large clinical trial aimed at enhancing treatment across the region. Their study, published in Diabetologia, involved over 2,000 Chinese patients with type 1 diabetes, 1,000 with type 2 diabetes, and 3,000 controls across various study phases. The team used data from a previously established genetic risk score and diagnostic strategies originally developed by researchers at the University of Exeter (Exeter, UK). Their new research examined all genetic contributors to diabetes in the participants and produced a version of the genetic risk score tailored specifically to Chinese patients—a tool designed to support diagnosis.

The genetic markers linked to type 1 diabetes in Chinese individuals were confirmed and further validated in a separate cohort of patients in Hong Kong, analyzed by researchers at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK, Shatin, NT). When applied to different patient sets, this diagnostic tool significantly improved the ability to distinguish between types of diabetes among Chinese patients. As a result, an additional 20–40 out of every 100 individuals with type 1 diabetes would be accurately diagnosed. Furthermore, the test may help pinpoint individuals at high risk of developing type 1 diabetes in the future. This has particular relevance for those with a family history of the condition. In the UK, such a test is already commercially available for this purpose.

“It is very hard to tell from symptoms alone whether someone has type 1 or type 2 diabetes, but getting the right diagnosis makes a big difference to their treatment, and blood sugar control,” said CUHK Professor Ronald Ma. This new test may be a real step forward in getting the right diabetes diagnosis the first time.”

Related Links:
Second Xiangya Hospital
University of Exeter
CUHK


Gold Member
Quantitative POC Immunoassay Analyzer
EASY READER+
3-Part Differential Hematology Analyzer
Swelab Alfa Plus Sampler
New
HBV DNA Test
GENERIC HBV VIRAL LOAD VER 2.0
New
Rapid Molecular Testing Device
FlashDetect Flash10
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: The microfluidic device for passive separation of platelet-rich plasma from whole blood (Photo courtesy of University of the Basque Country)

Portable and Disposable Device Obtains Platelet-Rich Plasma Without Complex Equipment

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) plays a crucial role in regenerative medicine due to its ability to accelerate healing and repair tissue. However, obtaining PRP traditionally requires expensive centrifugation... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The 3D paper-based analytical device has shown high clinical accuracy for adult-onset immunodeficiency (Photo courtesy of National Taiwan University)

Paper-Based Device Accurately Detects Immune Defects in 10 Minutes

Patients with hidden immune defects are especially vulnerable to severe and persistent infections, often due to autoantibodies that block interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), a key molecule in immune defense.... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: Researchers have developed a novel method to analyze tumor growth rates (Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock)

Novel Method To Analyze Tumor Growth Rates Helps Tracks Progression Between Diagnosis and Surgery

Patients diagnosed with breast cancer often worry about how quickly their tumors grow while they wait for surgery, and whether delays in treatment might allow the disease to spread beyond the point of cure.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.