One third of type 1 diabetes is misdiagnosed in people over 30

More than one third of people over 30 years old who were initially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are actually type 1, which means that they are not getting the right treatment, revealed new research.

The study, led by the University of Exeter, shows that 38% of patients with type 1 diabetes occurring after the age of 30 were initially treated as type 2 diabetes (without insulin). the team found that half of people who were misdiagnosed were still diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 13 years later.

Prime Minister Theresa May is a clbadic case of misdiagnosis in later life. She was initially misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes and treated with a lifestyle change and tablets that were not working, before being retested and identified as having type 1 diabetes.

Dr. Angus Jones, of the Faculty of Medicine at Exeter University, who led the research, said, "For people with type 1 diabetes, taking tablets and losing weight are not effective – they need insulin treatment. It is very difficult to diagnose type 1 diabetes in older adults, as most people of this age have type. 2, even though they are thin.Our research shows that if a person diagnosed with type 2 diabetes needs insulin treatment within three years of diagnosis, it is at high risk. they need a blood test to confirm their type of diabetes and make sure they receive proper follow-up, education and treatment. "

The research, funded by the NHRI and the Wellcome Trust, is published in the journal Diabetologia. With support from the NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Center, the team badyzed 583 people with diagnosed insulin-induced diabetes after the age of 30. The characteristics of their disease were compared to those of other participants who were still producing insulin, with 220 people with severe insulin deficiency diagnosed before 30 years of age.

T1D is characterized by rapid and severe loss of insulin production as the hormone producing pancreatic cells are attacked and destroyed by the body's immune system. Affected individuals lose the ability to manufacture their own insulin and therefore need regular doses of insulin to control their blood sugar, in the form of injections or via a pump. Unlike many people with T2D, they can not manage their disease through diet. exercise and tablets alone. Due to the very high risk of hypoglycemia (hypoglycemia), they usually learn to match their insulin to food (carbohydrate counting) and can use new technologies such as insulin pumps and continuous glucose meters. These treatments are not available for people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, even though they begin to need insulin injections. Therefore, the correct diagnosis remains important even if a person is treated with insulin.

The first author, Dr. Nick Thomas, of the Exeter University School of Medicine, said: "People with type 2 diabetes might need insulin, but their treatment and their education are very different from those of type 1. If people with type 1 diabetes do not receive insulin they can develop very high blood sugar and develop a potentially fatal disease called ketoacidosis. the right diagnosis is of vital importance, even if insulin treatment has already been started. "

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The full text is entitled: Type 1 diabetes, defined as severe insulin deficiency, occurs after age 30 and is generally treated as type 2 diabetes.

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