With over 57 million Americans at risk for type 2 diabetes, how do clinicians decide whom to bump to the front of the line for preventive care and treatment?  The PreDx Diabetes Risk Score, which employs a few simple blood tests to identify patients at highest risk of developing type 2 diabetes within five years, might help caregivers prioritize their efforts.

Recently, Tethys Bioscience announced the publication of two research articles validating the use of the PreDx Diabetes Risk Score (DSR).  The DSR is a blood test that assesses multiple biomarkers from biological pathways implicated in the development of diabetes.  A biomarker is a detectable substance that indicates that a particular process or event (for example, glucose metabolism) is taking place. Biomarkers can also reveal changes in a biological pathway that correlate with disease progression, or even the risk of disease progression. 

To determine who is at highest risk for developing type 2, the PreDx DSR uses biomarkers from biological pathways and biological events like cardiovascular disease, inflammation, glucose metabolism, and cell death.  The resulting score, which estimates the progression rate of the disease, is claimed to be a better predictor of risk than impaired fasting glucose levels or metabolic syndrome. 

The DSR would probably be used with patients who already show risk factors, including elevated glucose levels, obesity, inactivity, a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, metabolic syndrome, or a history of gestational diabetes. Using the information that the DSR reveals about their risk of type 2 diabetes, caregivers could recommend prevention programs ranging from simple lifestyle changes, such as exercise, weight loss, and diet, to medication.

Tethys stated, however, that the DSR should be used as an adjunct to other diagnostic tests and clinical procedures, not as a replacement.

Peer-Reviewed Publications Demonstrate Tethys Bioscience's Ability to Identify Those at Highest Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Within Five Years

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/biospace/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090715005390&newsLang=en

Sources: Diabetes Care; The Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology