Sunday, 26 April 2020

Diabtets mellitus -diagnoisc challenges

 What are the diagnostic criteria  for diagnosis of diabetes ??
A)                      For non pregnant person:
In a person with classical symptoms of diabetes ( e.g. polyuria,  polydipsia, weight loss ) has  any one reading  of unequivocal  hyperglycemia i.e.  random venous plasma  glucose > 200 mg % is  sufficient to make diagnosis  of diabetes. For example   if a person has nd random blood glucose  of 305 mg%  he is diabetic  and no other   test is required to confirm  the diagnosis . In such a situation full GTT  is a define  waste of time and money  and hence  need not be done.
B)                         Fasting venous plasma glucose of 126 mg % on more than one occasion is sufficient for diagnosis  of diabetes  even in the absence   of symptoms.
C)                       A two hour venous plasma  glucose  of 200 mg %   or more after oral  glucose   load of 75 g  on more  than one occasion.
In  non diabetic persons fasting and 2 hours  post oral  75 g glucose  values  of venous plasma glucose  are lower  than 100 mg%  and 140  mg%   respectively .
 What is IGTT?? What is possible risk  for microvascular diseases in IGTT ??  If fasting  venous plasma glucose level is between 100 to 126 mg%  and if two hours  post 75 g glucose  venous plasma glucose  level  is below  140 mg %  the condition is called  impaired fasting glucose tolerance . These   two conditions represent an intermediary state between   normal on one side and diabetes on the other side  . Some   people have isolated IFG/IGT   while others have combined IFG  and IGT. As regards micro vascular   complications   of diabetes people in IFG   and IGT  are not at significant   risk  and in this respect both the conditions are equivalent.

What is possible risk  for macrovascular diseases??  However as regards  macro  vascular   diseases associated with diabetes people in IGT are  at a higher risk  as compared  to those in IFG . With control  of weight  with  prudent  diet  and physical   exercise   approximately k 50%  people with IGT   revert back to normal. Some remain   in IGT  range while others slip into clear diabetic range over a course of time . On an  average every year 5%  of people with IGT  group there is no  urgency  to put them  on OAD  . However    they need proper  diet control exercise and six monthly follow up with blood  glucose estimation. Those who are unlikely  to follow  diet and exercise regimen can be   put on metformin  or acarbose. It is not uncommon to see an IGT  patient recently  and wrongly  diagnosed  as a diabetic and put on a stiff dose of sulphonylura to preset with OAD  induced repeated hypoglycemia as the present ing symptoms
 What is the difference between True glucose and True Sugar?? While interpreting results of laboratory tests we have to remember to verify the following :
i)                 Is it  true  glucose estimation or sugar  estimation  The latter method  gives  10-15%  higher values.
ii)            Is it  a plasma  value or whole   blood  value?  Whole  blood  glucose  values  are lower  by about 20%
iii)         Is it capillary glucose value or venous glucose value ?(CBG)  While  there  is no difference  in the fasting state  between  the two  methods post    prandial values   are higher  in capillary blood  as compared to venous  blood.
All values mentioned under diagnostic criteria are venous plasma true glucose values
Diagnostic glucose concentrations for diabetes , IFG and IGT
Diagnosis of Gestational   diabetes mellitus
Definition 1 of GDM : The diagnosis of GDM:  Dilemma & Dilemma like definition of PCO: What is “International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups”?? Ans: The criteria for the diagnosis of GDM have always been intensely debated and even today more than one school of thoughts   . Let us follow the 2010  recommendations of International  Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy  Study Groups Which   were adopted by American Diabetes in 2011
IADPSG have recommended:-that the diagnosis of GDM in Pregnancy : “The Threshold values of
GDM = one or  more values > threshold “.
Definition 2: WHO definition of GDM:    In addition to the abovementioned method of diagnosis of GDM , WHO definition is also  commonly followed in our country . As per WHO , GDM  id diagnosed  when 2 hours  post 75 g glucose  challenge plasma equals or exceeds 140 mg%
How useful is  urine glucose estimation ?
As regards urine glucose estimation  It should  never be solely relied upon  for diagnosis of diabetes. It can only be used for getting a very rough   idea of control on a day to day  basis  provided the patient or  his physician interpreting the results  is thoroughly conversant with limitations and pitfalls.
While doing urine tests observe the following
a)                        Point  to remember on Urine examination: Point A :  strip method  better than Benedict’s  test:-    Use  the dry  strip method  which is  specific for glucose instead  of Benedict’s  test which  gives many false positive  results. In order    to reduce the cost by 50%  one may , if she wishes may cut the test strip  vertically  in two equal  halves
b)                        Point  to remember on Urine examination: Point B:  On  freshly formed urine : To ask the patient to completely empty the bladder 15 minutes before the time of urine  estimation so that when   the second   sample is collected for estimation  freshly formed urine  is obtained . Such urine glucose estimation will give a more  realistic idea  about the spot  blood  glucose value.
C) Point  to remember on Urine examination: Point c:   Avoid PP sample of urine: In many diabetics glucose is invariably spilled over in urine during the post  prandial period but they can  still have  a normal fasting blood glucose  and absence   of urine  glucose   in fasting state. However    in such  patients  urine voided first  thing in the morning  is actually  a mixture  of urine  formed  over several  hours overnight and hence it can show  glycosuria   even though  urine actually formed  in the morning  dose not contain  glucose. Hence it is  important to always  collect  freshly voided urine  for glucose  estimation .
Every time  one orders blood glucose  insist for a glucose test on freshly voided urine so that one get  some idea of the patient’s  renal threshold  ,. Normally  the  threshold for glucose is 180 mg%  However many  diabetics   have a  low renal threshold  in the initial stages i.e. glucose appears in their urine at blood glucose levels  lower than 180  mg%  Hence one should be careful while  increasing   the dosage of OADs in such  patients   solely on estimation of  the  urine glucose  value. I am referring to frank DM in pregancy not GDM. The reverse is true i.e.  Many long standing diabetics have a high renal threshold for glucose. In other   words glucose in urine is absent  even when  blood glucose is  higher  than 180 mg%
In short urine glucose  tests should be used by patients  for day to day self  monitoring  in between her visits to the doctor  for getting  a rough idea about control  and she should  report  back to the doctor  prior to his next appointment   date if there is  a persistent change in the  pattern of urine  glucose ( Only for frank diabetics and not applicable to GDM cases) .
  Point  to remember on Urine examination: Point D:  Absence  of glucose  in the urine   dose not rule  out diabetes as in many mild diabetics  fasting urine could be negative  for glucose but post prandial urine is more  likely to be positive  for glucose.
Point  to remember on Urine examination: Point F:   AS mentioned , Presence of sugar in the urine in the Benedict’s test dose not necessarily  mean  that the person  is a diabetic.
Point  to remember on Urine examination: Point G:  Urine for glucose  cannot replace  a blood glucose test .Even if one  have a reasonably  good idea of a given patient’s  urine  threshold for glucose, urine  glucose  estimation  still cannot differentiate between  normoglycemia and hypoglycemia. Hence  Urine for glucose  cannot replace  a blood glucose test
Point  to remember on Urine examination: Point H :In frank DM cases occasionally spot urine may be even +ve for glucose still she may be hypogklycaemic ,This is true igf she has not voided for long time and urine will be +ve even when she has come to ER with frank hypoglycaemia. CBFG is important to  rule out hypoglycemia in a patient in whom a spot urine test is positive for glucose , if  the patient had  not voided urine  for several  hours.
Take home message on relevance of urine for glucose   examination in 2010 at the end of Lockdown : Considering  several limitations of urine  glucose  estimation  and easy  availability of glucometers  and laboratory tests urine glucose  estimation  has extreme  limited  utility  in the current  scenario and should be used  only if glucometers are not available or affordable. Buit  urineexamination in frank DM is relevant in A) Urine  examination  for ketones in  certain  specific situations such as :
1)                       When  patient has excessive  thirst hunger  and urination
2)                       Whenever   there is  vomiting  with or without  deterioration  in general condition
3)                       Whenever  a diabetic is drowsy and urine is loaded with   glucose  and blood glucose  is above 250 mg% 

In above mentioned situations presence of ketones in urine indicates diabetic ketosis  and the patient should be instructed to seek immediate  medical attention .Method for examination of ketones in urine  is simple  and essentially same as that for glucose  estimation . Many companies  market  dry strips  for urine ketone  examination  e.g. Keto diastick , which is designed to simultaneously  examine glucose and   ketones in urine.
Investigations in diabetics and suspected diabetics :
For  the diagnosis  of diabetes one should order Fasting and Post  75 gm glucose   challenge venous  plasma   glucose . GTT is usually not required. One should  order fasting  and post  glucose  challenge  blood  glucose  tests  in the following  situations:
a)             Those having symptoms  of diabetes
b)           Those having  tuberculosis peripheral neuropathy hypertension coronary  artery  disease cerebro vascular  disease  peripheral vascular disease  eczema premature  cataract etc
c)As   a pre operative check up
d)           Those above 40 years  as part of a routine  medical  checkup
e)           These  tests should be done  every  six months in those who  have pre diabetes  and every 3 months in those who are known diabetics provided they are  well controlled d In known diabetics instead of post glucose blood  glucose post meal blood glucose should be ordered. In the initial  period  and in those who have  unstable control   blood glucose  tests should be repeated  more frequently  whereas  in emergencies  such  as diabetic  keto acidosis  hypoglycemic coma etc  blood glucose  should be done several  times  a day.
f)  In a newly  detected diabetic  patient  the following  additional   baseline  investigations should be ordered
a)             Lipid profile
b)           Serum  creatinine
c)Full urine  examination  and test for micro albuminurea if routine  urine exam  . shows absence   of albuminurea
d)           Electrocardiogram
e)           Detailed  ophthalmic  check up 
Subsequently  Serum  creatinine ophthalmic  check up and  urine   for microalbuminuria  should be repeated every year . If  the patient  develops  proliferate  retinopathy. It should  be further  evaluated with Flouroscein  aangiography and treated  with Laser photocoagulation  to prevent  blindness.
If  a patient  develops  diabetic nephropathy his OAD should be reassessed and use of nephrotoxic drugs e.g. .Aminoglycoside antibiotics and NSAIDs should be avoided. Whenever a diabetic patient loses  control and in those who are difficult  to control from the beginning a through  search should be made for  occult  tuberculosis and other infections and X ray  chest and other  appropriate  investigations should be ordered. When ever   a long standing   diabetic  gradually requires  lesser  dosage  of OAD  or Insulin or he goes into hypoglycemia  with  the same dosage  suspect  diabetic  nephropathy

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