New Delhi, Sep 30 A common gene variant may be delaying diagnoses of type 2 diabetes in millions of men worldwide, and increasing their risk of serious complications, according to a study.
G6PD deficiency is a genetic condition that affects more than 400 million people worldwide, and is especially prevalent among those with African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean backgrounds.
It is more common in men and usually goes undetected because it rarely causes symptoms. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends routine screening for G6PD deficiency in populations where it is common, but it is not widely implemented in many other countries.
Researchers from the University of Exeter, in collaboration with Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), found that men with G6PD deficiency are, on average, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes four years later than those without the gene variant. But despite this, fewer than one in 50 have been diagnosed with the condition.
The study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, showed that men with G6PD deficiency are at a 37 per cent higher risk of developing diabetes-related microvascular complications, such as eye, kidney, and nerve damage, compared to other men with diabetes.
G6PD deficiency does not cause diabetes, but it makes the widely used HbA1c blood test -- which diagnoses and monitors diabetes -- appear artificially low.
As this can mislead doctors and patients, resulting in delayed diabetes diagnosis and treatment, the team urged the need to develop newer diagnostic methods, until it is too late to prevent serious complications.
"Our findings highlight the urgent need for changes to testing practices to tackle health inequalities. Doctors and health policy makers need to be aware that the HbA1c test may not be accurate for people with G6PD deficiency, and routine G6PD screening could help identify those at risk. Addressing this issue is not only crucial for medicine, but for health equity," said Professor Inês Barroso from the University of Exeter.
The HbA1c blood test is the international standard for managing type 2 diabetes and is used in 136 countries worldwide to diagnose diabetes.
However, for people with G6PD deficiency, this test may underestimate their blood sugar levels, causing significant medical delays and increasing their risk of serious complications.
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