Diagnosis
Diagnostic criteria
Diabetes mellitus
The diagnostic criteria listed are in accordance with the recommendations of
the international diabetes associations (International Diabetes Federation
[IDF], American Diabetes Association [ADA], European Association for the
Study of Diabetes [EASD], etc.) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Measurand is the venous plasma glucose:
-
Occasional plasma glucose value
of≥11.1 mmol/l
(≥200 mg/dl), or
-
Fasting plasma glucose of≥7.0 mmol/l
(≥126 mg/dl) (fasting time
8–12 h), or
-
oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) 2-h value in venous
plasma≥11.1 mmol/l
(≥200 mg/dl) (for specifications for the
procedure see [Tab. 2]),
or
Measured variable HbA1c :
Abnormally-elevated fasting glucose levels
Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) for the fasting glucose range of 5.6-6.9
mmol/l (100-125 mg/dl) in venous plasma.
Impaired glucose tolerance
Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) corresponds to a 2-h plasma glucose value
oGTT in the range of 7.8-11.0 mmol/l
(140-199 mg/dl) with fasting glucose values
of<5.6-6.9 mmol/l
(100-125 mg/dl).
Many people with a glucose tolerance disorder have IFG and IGT. Both
conditions must be met. In recommendations from many diabetes societies, an
HbA1c value of 39-48 mmol/mol Hb
(5.7-6.4%) is referred to as "prediabetes" (see
[Tab. 4] for age dependence of the
HbA1c value).
Gestational diabetes
The cut-offs in the oGTT given in [Tab.
1] are based on the results of the HAPO study [1]. They differ only slightly from the
previously valid values. Actual one too-high value is enough for diagnosis,
whereas previously two values had to be high.
Tab. 1 Diagnosis of gestational diabetes (75-g oGTT).
Diabetes is confirmed when 1 criterion is met. For the
pre-analytics of glucose determination, refer to section
Pre-analytics of glucose measurement and the guideline for
gestational diabetes.
|
Venous plasma
|
mmol/l
|
mg/dl
|
Fasting
|
≥5.1
|
≥92
|
60 min
|
≥10.0
|
≥180
|
120 min
|
≥8.5
|
≥153
|
Tab. 2 Oral glucose tolerance test
(oGTT).
Performing the 75-g oGTT-according to World Health
Organization (WHO) guidelines
|
Performing the test in the morning
-
After 8-12 h of fasting with food,
nicotine and alcohol abstinence
-
After a≥3-day carbohydrate-rich diet
(≥150 g carbohydrates per day)
-
Sitting or lying (no muscular effort); no smoking
before or during the test
|
At time 0, ingestion of 75 g glucose (or equivalent
amount of hydrolysed starch) in 250-300 ml water
within 5 min. For children 1.75 g/kg (maximum
75 g)
|
Test contraindicated in intercurrent diseases, for gastrointestinal
resection or gastrointestinal diseases with altered resorption or if
diabetes mellitus has already been diagnosed.
|
The preparation of the glucose solution by the pharmacist/physician
personally is rejected by the DDG for liability and medical reasons; see
statement of Kommission Labordiagnostik in der Diabetologie (KLD)
and Arbeitsgemeinschaft Diabetes & Technologie (AGDT) on the DDG
website. As with all other laboratory tests, it is a prerequisite that the
oGTT is performed adequately, including preparation of the patient.
|
Test contraindicated in intercurrent diseases, for gastrointestinal
resection or gastrointestinal diseases with altered resorption or if
diabetes mellitus has already been diagnosed.
In pregnant women in whom the fasting plasma glucose value is close to the
clinical decision value, the measurement should be repeated within one
week.
Diagnostic procedure
The recommended diagnostic procedure is shown in [Fig 1].
Fig. 1 Algorithm for the diagnosis of diabetes. For practical
reasons, the Laboratory Diagnostics Commission of the Deutsche Diabetes
Gesellschaft (DDG) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Klinische
Chemie und Laboratoriumsmedizin (DGKL) recommends simultaneous
measurement of glucose and the HbA1c value, since these parameters
complement each other (see [Tab.
5]). If plasma glucose and HbA1c are pathologically elevated
(see text), no other determination needs to be made. In case of
discrepant results of the different parameters, an oGTT should be
performed. In practice, a repeat plasma glucose and HbA1c measurement
can be done prior to an oGTT. A repeated measurement should be performed
promptly, within 2 weeks. oGTT: oral glucose tolerance test; IFG:
impaired fasting glucose; IGT: impaired glucose tolerance.
Tab. 3 Commercially available blood collection
tubes that achieve complete glycolysis inhibition by the
addition of fluoride and citrate (current status see
manufacturers' homepages).
Manufacturer
|
Product name
|
Correct filling absolutely necessary
|
Sufficient mixing required
|
Correction factor
|
Greiner bio-one
|
Vacuette® FC-Mix
|
No
|
10 times
|
No (granulate)
|
Kabe
|
Primavette®,
KABEVETTE®
|
Yes
|
Few times
|
1.16 (liquid additive)
|
Sarstedt
|
S -Monovette GlucoEXACT®
|
Yes
|
Few times
|
1.16 (liquid additive)
|
Greiner bio-one tubes (Vacuette® FC-Mix)
contain a granulate in the blood collection tubes. The tubes
must be swivelled 10 times after filling the blood to achieve a
sufficient solution and mixing with the glycolysis inhibitor.
Experience with the blood collection tubes from Sarstedt
(S-Monovette GlucoEXACT®) and Kabe
(Primavette®,
KABEVETTE®) shows that dilution errors
occur when the tubes are not completely filled. The laboratory
must reliably identify such tubes in order to identify and
exclude from analysis tubes that are not correctly filled
according to the manufacturer’s specifications and to
take into account the dilution factor of 1.16.
Tab. 4 Reference ranges (2.5th to 97.5th
percentiles) for HbA1c values collected in two
large collectives in Germany.
|
Roth J et al., 2016 [5] (n=6783)
|
Masuch A et al., 2019 [9] (n=8665)
|
<40 y
|
27-41 mmol/mol (4.6-5.9%)
|
20-42 mmol/mol (4.0-6.0%)
|
40<60 y
|
29-44 mmol/mol (4.8-6.2%)
|
21-44 mmol/mol (4.1-6.2%)
|
≥60 y
|
31-46 mmol/mol (5.0-6.4%)
|
25-49 mmol/mol (4.4-6.6%)
|
Tab. 5 Comparison of selected factors relevant to
the diagnosis of diabetes which influence fasting plasma
glucose or HbA1c (+=influence, -
=no or little influence).
|
Glucose
|
HbA1c
|
Muscle exertion
|
+
|
–
|
Food intake
|
+
|
–
|
Location of blood sampling
|
+
|
–
|
Haemoglobinopathies
|
–
|
+
|
Haematological disease
|
–
|
+
|
Erythrocyte turnover
|
–
|
+
|
Age
|
–
|
+
|
Individual variation from day to day
|
+(12-15%)
|
– (<2%)
|
Blood sample
|
+(unstable in whole blood)
|
– (stable up to 7 days at RT)
|
Only quality-assured laboratory methods are allowed to measure venous plasma
glucose and HbA1c for diagnosing diabetes.
This is defined in the guidelines of the German Medical Association for Quality
Assurance in Laboratory Medical Examinations (Rili-BÄK) uniformly for
central laboratories as well as for point-of-care testing (POCT) [2]. Participation in interlaboratory
comparisons has so far not been mandatory for POCT methods used in medical
offices. However, if POCT systems are approved by the manufacturer for
diagnostic use, we also recommend successful participation in external
interlaboratory comparison for use in diagnostics , Laboratory Diagnostics
Commission of the DDG and DGKL recommends their application after successful
participation in external interlaboratory comparisons.
The specifications for the performance of an oGTT are listed in [Tab. 2].
Selected analytical aspects
Pre-analytics of glucose measurement
Adequate preanalytical handling of blood is very important. Precautions
must be taken to ensure that glycolysis is completely inhibited in the
blood samples by using suitable blood collection tubes. For this the
addition of citrate plus fluoride is necessary; fluoride alone is not
sufficient. The blood collection tubes with glycolysis inhibitors
currently on the market exhibit various handling problems in [Tab. 3].
Alternatively, it is recommended to centrifuge tubes immediately after
blood collection without immediate and complete glycolysis inhibition.
If a time window of 30 min until centrifugation is exceeded, the
samples should be discarded due to the ongoing glycolysis (and therefore
falsely lower glucose values). After centrifugation, the plasma
supernatant must be separated from the blood cells. This occurs during
centrifugation with a gel (gel tube). It is also possible to decant the
plasma supernatant immediately after centrifugation.
Consistent and optimal preanalytical handling of the blood collection
tubes might lead to a higher diabetes diagnosis rate of diabetes which
however does not mean overdiagnosis.
HbA1c for diagnosis
The use of a single HbA1c value for diagnosis is currently not
generally recommended, because HbA1c values are influenced by
various factors including an diabetes-independent increase with age (see
[Tab. 4], [5]) and, in particular, there are
also a number of methodological problems. However, the methodological
problems should be improved by the following measures:
The permissible deviation for internal quality control has been reduced
from±10% to 5% and for external quality control
from±18% to±8%. These guidelines of the
German Medical Association (Rili-BÄK) have come into force in
December 2021 with a two-year transition period.
If diabetes is diagnosed with an HbA1c measurement, a
confirmatory measurement with HbA1c is not reasonable because
the HbA1c value can be influenced by various factors
(
[Tab. 4], [5]
).
HbA
1c
is a haemoglobin and is therefore
influenced by various factors, including haematological factors (see
info box).
To detect such influences on the HbA1c value, an actual
blood count should be available, especially if the
HbA1c value contributes to the diagnosis of diabetes
mellitus. In principle, interpretation of the HbA1c value
without knowledge of the Hb is questionable.
Factors that lead to the influence of the HbA1c or to disturbances of the
HbA1c measurement. (e. g. age dependence).
Factors which influence the HbA1c value
Interference factors that can falsify the measurement of HbA1c.
-
Most notably, haemoglobin variants that mismeasure HbA1c , depending
on the method used
-
Most methods used today to measure HbA1c are not interfered with by
carbamylation (in severe renal insufficiency) or other modifications.
HbA1c is not suitable for:
-
Neonates (HbF~90%)
-
Pregnant women for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes.
-
Women up to about 2 months postpartum
-
Hyperglycaemic drugs, e. g., glucocorticoids, psychotropic drugs if
taken<2 months
-
Diseases of the pancreas [Tab. 7] incl.
pancreatic surgery.
-
Blood transfusions, blood donation, major bleeding (surgery, accidents).
Tab. 6 Differential diagnostic criteria for common
diabetes types at diagnosis. Data according to National Care
Guideline Type 2 Diabetes;www.versorgungsleitlinien.de.
|
Type 1 diabetes1
|
Type 2 Diabetes
|
MODYs
|
Aetiology
|
Autoimmune, genetic predisposition
|
Genetic predisposition, multifactorial
|
Monogenic
|
Heredity
|
Variable
|
Variable
|
Autosomal dominant; diabetes in≥3 generations
|
Frequency among all diabetes types
|
5-10%
|
90-95%
|
Approx. 2%
|
Pathogenesis
|
Autoantibodies, absolute insulin deficiency
|
Insulin resistance and secretion disorder up to insulin
deficiency
|
Mutation of genes of transcription factors or glucokinase
of the β-cells
|
Typical age of manifestation
|
Childhood to adulthood
|
Adulthood
|
Adolescence to early adulthood
|
Clinical manifestation
|
Acute polyuria, polydipsia, severe hyperglycaemia,
ketoacidosis
|
Slow onset, often secondary diseases, moderate
hyperglycaemia
|
Slow onset, variable hyperglycaemia
|
Comorbidities
|
Autoimmune thyroiditis, celiac disease
|
Visceral obesity, hypertension, Diabetes (also called
Metabolic Syndrome)
|
Renal cysts depending on MODY type
|
Tendency to ketosis
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Body weight
|
Normal weight
|
Overweight
|
Normal weight
|
Plasma insulin/C-peptide HOMA-B2
|
Reduced to lacking
|
Often high at beginning, then reduced
|
Mostly diminished
|
Autoantibodies
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Insulin resistance HOMA-R 3
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Therapy
|
Insulin
|
Lifestyle modification measures, oral antidiabetics,
insulin
|
Possibly none, OADs, insulin (depending on MODY type)
|
1 Latent insulin-dependent diabetes in adulthood (LADA) is
associated with a slow loss of beta cell function. LADA has a rapid
failure of oral antidiabetics. If LADA is suspected, determination
of autoantibodies typical for diabetes is recommended.
2,3 HOMA-B or Homa-R Homeostasis Model Assessment to
quantify the β- cell reserve2 and insulin
resistance3; OADs = oral antidiabetic drugs.
MODY = Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young.
Tab. 7 Diagnosis of a diabetes due to an exocrine
pancreas disease [1].
Criteria
|
expression
|
Main criteria (all must be present)
|
-
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (documented
by stool tests for elastase-1 or a direct
functional test)
-
Pathological imaging of the pancreas
(endosonography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging [MRI],
computed tomography [CT])
-
Lack of markers for type 1 diabetes
|
Additional criteria
|
-
Impaired beta cell function (e. g.
Homeostasis Model Assessment to quantify the
β- cell reserve [HOMA-B], C-peptide
glucose quotient)
-
No highly increased insulin resistance
(e. g. Homeostasis Model Assessment to
quantify the insulin resistance [HOMA-IR])
-
Reduced incretin secretion (e. g.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), pancreatic
polypeptide)
-
Low serum values of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D,
E and K)
|
Age dependency of HbA1c
HbA1c increases with age in people without diabetes [3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]. This physiological increase can be
0.4-0.7% (4-8 mmol/mol Hb) in absolute terms. This, in
addition to methodological differences, limits the use of HbA1c value
for diabetes diagnosis, especially in the range below
53 mmol/mol Hb (7.0%). [Tab. 4] shows reference values of HbA1c level in
non-diabetic adults of younger, middle and older age from two German populations
[5]
[9]. Thus, the 2.5th to 97.5th percentiles are given as the reference
range. However, a measured value above the reference range does not necessarily
have to be pathological [10].
Advantages and disadvantages of the glucose and HbA1c
measurands
The laboratory parameters glucose, especially fasting plasma glucose, and
HbA1c, which are approved for the diagnosis of diabetes, both
have advantages and disadvantages. The advantages complement each other
perfectly ([Tab. 5]).
Quality assurance
The internal quality control must be carried out every working day with
suitable control material. Successful participation in external quality
assurance is required once per quarter.
This applies to all laboratory systems and to POCT “unit use”
systems (individual test strips or cuvettes, according to the definition of
the Rili-BÄK), which are also intended by the manufacturer for
diagnosis.
Minimal difference
How should a single measured value be evaluated taking into account the
measurement uncertainty of measurement results?
In the case of measurement results, there is generally the question of
whether the deviation from the diagnostic cut-off is so far removed from
this decision limit (i. e., greater than the minimum difference
(MD), see below) that this measurement value can clearly be assessed as
lower or higher. In such cases the MD should be used for assessment.
In order to meet clinical requirements, analytical variability should be
expressed in absolute values at the decision limits. The so-called MD is a
simple tool to illustrate the meaning of the random error to the user and is
calculated from the standard deviation (SD) (MD=2×SD) ([Fig. 2]) [18].
Fig. 2 Minimal difference, expressed in the unit of glucose determination (mg/dl or mmol/l)
for the diagnostic cut-offs considered a function of
the coefficient of variation. If the measured values are below the overlapping area
of the drawn funnels, the diagnostic cut-offs can be analytically
differentiated from each other and thus used for the diagnosis.
This MD, which can be obtained from the cooperative laboratory, gives
concrete concentrations in absolute values above which a measured value
differs from a diagnostic cut-off. At a fasting glucose cut-off of
7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dl), the MD should not be
greater than 0.7 mmol/l L (12.6 mg/dl). The same applies to
an HbA1c cut-off of 48 mmol/mol Hb
(6.5%). The MD should not be greater than 2 mmol/mol
Hb (0.3%).
Differential diagnosis of diabetes
The differential diagnostic criteria for the most common types of
diabetes[Tab. 6].
LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults)
LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults) is a slowly developing diabetes
that occurs mainly in older age (>35 years). Depending on the
"genotype, phenotype, and immune status" (see [Fig. 3]), insulin dependence may
develop more rapidly or more slowly. Reduction of excess weight, increase of
physical activity, and oral antidiabetic drugs may also be effective, so
that many patients have antibodies but phenotypically correspond to type 2
diabetes. These patients are also referred to as "double
diabetes." Since the group of LADA is very heterogeneous, LADA has
been regularly assigned to type 1 diabetes, although this is clinically
justified only in the case of existing insulin dependence. In the other
patients, the phenotype and also the drug therapy of type 2 diabetes are in
the foreground. The pathophysiological mechanisms and diagnostic criteria
are shown in [Fig. 3].
Fig. 3 Pathophysiological mechanisms and diagnostic criteria
of Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults. Data source: [11]. BMI = Body Mass
Index, LADA = Latent insulin-dependent diabetes in
adulthood
Because of the often non-optimal specificity of autoantibody tests, there are
both "true" patients with type 1 diabetes and patients with
type 2 diabetes with false positive antibody tests in the heterogeneous
group of LADA patients.
MODY
The term MODY (Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young) is used to describe
types of diabetes that are usually diagnosed from adolescence to adulthood
and are caused by known genetic mutations. The diagnostic algorithm of the
main MODY forms is shown in [Fig.
4].
Fig. 4 Diagnostic algorithm of the most important MODY forms.
Data source: [12] and MODY
Probability Calculator
(www.diabetesgenes.org/mody-probability-calculator) MODY
= Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young.
Pancreopriver diabetes mellitus
Diabetes that develops due to diseases of the pancreas is subsumed under the
term pancreopriver diabetes mellitus. The diagnostic criteria are listed in
[Tab. 7].
Screening
For primary screening for diabetes, a diabetes risk test is recommended.
The following questionnaires are recommended:
In the case of high questionnaire scores, manifested cardiovascular disease
or the presence of overweight with other risk factors, e. g.
hypertension, dyslipidaemia (elevated triglyceride or LDL cholesterol or
decreased HDL cholesterol), or a positive family history of type 2 diabetes
in first-degree relatives, gestational diabetes or PCO (polycystic ovary
syndrome), or non-alcoholic fatty liver as described in [Fig. 1].
Although a lot of data on the prevalence of diabetes mellitus has been
collected in various regions in Germany, there is no comprehensive screening
for diabetes in hospitalized patients. According to a study carried out by
the University Hospital of Tübingen, 24% of newly admitted
patients had prediabetes and 22% manifested diabetes. Every 6th
patients with diabetes had not been diagnosed [14]. The authors therefore recommend
screening for every admitted patient over 50 years of age for diabetes.