According to British researchers, patients with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes wait more than two years before receiving a clinical diagnosis.
The study, which is based on data from the UK Biobank on more than 200,000 people, found an average waiting time of 2.3 years before diagnosing type 2 diabetes.
“The results complement previous research suggesting that population-level screening for type 2 diabetes could potentially identify many cases.”
Katie Young
Being female, having a lower body mass index, and blood sugar levels was a factor particularly associated with delayed diagnosis.
According to the study’s authors, the results build on preliminary data suggesting that screening 40- to 70-year-olds would ensure a timely diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
They found that common symptoms – like going to the bathroom a lot, being extremely thirsty, feeling more tired than usual, and losing weight without trying – often came on slowly and were easy to miss.
As a result, the condition could go undetected for many years, increasing the risk of serious complications.
Researchers led by Dr. Katie Young of the University of Exeter analyzed data from 200,000 biobank participants who were not clinically diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Among the 200,000 subjects, 1% (2,022) had a reported HbA1c value of 48 mmol / mol or more – the threshold value in combination with additional measures for diagnosing type 2 diabetes.
The researchers linked the biobank data with GP records and found that after the elevated HbA1c test, it took an average of 2.3 years to make a clinical diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
However, nearly a quarter of people (23%) had still not received a diagnosis after five years of elevated blood sugar levels, the study authors warned.
The team also looked at factors associated with an increased delay in getting a diagnosis and found that women are likely to wait longer for a diagnosis.
In addition, they found that lower HbA1c within the type 2 diabetes range and / or lower BMI was associated with delayed diagnosis.
The researchers suggested that this was because these people might experience fewer symptoms or be less likely to have a test to confirm type 2 diabetes.
“This research provides clear indications of delays in diagnosing type 2 diabetes.”
Elizabeth Robertson
They found that the results highlighted the importance of attending annual health checkups for those aged 40 and over to ensure that elevated blood sugar levels were detected early.
They added that the results highlighted the need for increased awareness among doctors of the importance of type 2 diabetes checkups in women and women who are lighter.
The author Dr. Young, a postdoctoral fellow at Exeter, said, “The results of this study complement previous research suggesting that population-level screening for type 2 diabetes could potentially identify many cases.”
The results of the study were presented at this year’s Diabetes UK Professional Conference, which will be held practically between April 19 and 30.
Dr. Elizabeth Robertson, Director of Research at Diabetes UK, said, “This research provides clear evidence of delays in diagnosing type 2 diabetes.
“Early diagnosis is the best way to avoid the devastating complications of type 2 diabetes and offers the best chance of living long, healthy lives with type 2 diabetes.”
