Lower Screening age for prediabetes and diabetes to 35 years, recommends USPSTF
USA: The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released an updated recommendation statement that lowered recommended age for screening of type 2 diabetes from 40 to 35 years in obese or overweight people. This screening age was lowered in response to the ballooning rates of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
The USPSTF recommends screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in adults aged 35 to 70 years who have overweight or obesity. Clinicians should offer or refer patients with prediabetes to effective preventive interventions.
This recommendation applies to nonpregnant adults aged 35 to 70 years seen in primary care settings who have overweight or obesity (defined as a BMI ≥25 [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared] and ≥30, respectively) and no symptoms of diabetes.
"Screening asymptomatic adults for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes may allow earlier detection, diagnosis, and treatment, with the ultimate goal of improving health outcomes," the authors wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
To update its 2015 recommendation, the USPSTF commissioned a systematic review to evaluate screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in asymptomatic, nonpregnant adults and preventive interventions for those with prediabetes.
The review included 89 publications with a patient population of 68,882 participants. Publications were selected for inclusion if investigators determined they answered any of the 9 key questions posed within the review. These 9 questions included inquiries related to direct evidence of screening on improving health outcomes, potential harms of screening, benefits of interventions, potential influence of age, race, sex, and ethnicity, and more.
Data points highlighted in the published review article included:
- reductions in all-cause mortality seen with screening at a younger age,
- improvements in health outcomes seen among overweight persons with intensive glucose control,
- and improvements associated with lifestyle interventions, such as weight loss, reduced BMI, and blood pressure reductions.
In the recommendation statement, the authors also underlined the increased risks of cardiovascular disease, NAFLD, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis associated with diabetes.
The USPSTF concludes with moderate certainty that screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and offering or referring patients with prediabetes to effective preventive interventions has a moderate net benefit.
Reference:
"Screening for Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement," is published in JAMA.
DOI: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2783414
Disclaimer: This website is primarily for healthcare professionals. The content here does not replace medical advice and should not be used as medical, diagnostic, endorsement, treatment, or prescription advice. Medical science evolves rapidly, and we strive to keep our information current. If you find any discrepancies, please contact us at corrections@medicaldialogues.in. Read our Correction Policy here. Nothing here should be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not endorse any healthcare advice that contradicts a physician's guidance. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Advertisement Policy. For more details, read our Full Disclaimer here.
NOTE: Join us in combating medical misinformation. If you encounter a questionable health, medical, or medical education claim, email us at factcheck@medicaldialogues.in for evaluation.