A STUDY conducted in Tameside has revealed that thousands of new diabetes cases could be found through screening in Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments.
It’s estimated that 30 per cent of adults in the UK living with type 2 diabetes are not aware that they have the condition.
However, according to a study led by Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, screening at emergency departments could detect thousands of undiagnosed cases and help avoid serious health complications.
The findings from the study – called FIND-IT – have been published in the journal Diabetes Therapy.
During the study, 1,382 adults who attended Tameside Hospital’s A&E department were screened for type 2 diabetes. None of the participants – who were randomly selected – had previously been diagnosed with diabetes.
Results showed that 8.3 per cent – 115 individuals – had diabetes and 11.6 per cent – 160 individuals – had pre-diabetes, which is a condition where someone’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal and they are likely to go on to develop diabetes.
Participants were screened using a HbA1c test – which measures average blood sugar levels over the previous two to three months.
They also filled in a questionnaire on their age, ethnicity and risk factors, e.g. physical activity level and body mass index (BMI). Researchers then used this information to calculate a Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINRISC) to identify those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.
Researchers say, based on the results, thousands more people every year could be diagnosed with pre-diabetes and diabetes in emergency departments.
Diabetes occurs when the body cannot properly regulate blood sugar levels and it can lay undetected for up to 10 years, leading to numerous long-term health complications including heart disease, nerve damage and vision problems.
Professor Edward Jude, who led the study, said: “Catching diabetes and pre-diabetes as early as possible allows people to access early treatment and implement lifestyle changes, giving them the best chance of living a long and healthy life.”
He said that this screening approach may also reduce costs to healthcare systems over the long term.
“Early diagnosis can help people avoid long-term complications of type 2 diabetes, which costs the NHS billions of pounds each year,” added the professor.
“In our study, the cost per case detected was lower than in pharmacy-based screening programmes. Screening people through the hospital’s emergency department also has the added benefit of reducing health inequalities by reaching populations who are less likely to engage with primary care services.”