[Diagnosis and screening for type 2 diabetes: which test to use?]

Abstract

The benefits of screening for type 2 diabetes during its preclinical phase are not well established in comparison to starting a treatment after a diagnosis is made when the patient presents with symptoms of hyperglycaemia. Despite this uncertainty, it seems reasonable that an early treatment could prevent diabetic complications given that the preclinical period can last several years. Opportunistic screening is recommended for high risk individuals (age > or = 45 years, BMI > or = 30, family history of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, presence of cardiovascular disease). Among the different screening tests, measurement of fasting plasma glucose is the first choice. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) should not be part anymore of routine practice.