Shyamhari Chakra
With 77 million Indians suffering from diabetes – the second highest number among all the countries in the world – a new study has revealed fresh facts about the scenario in India breaking popular myths.
The outcome of the study, collectively conducted by CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad, KEM Hospital and Research Centre in Pune and the University of Exeter in the UK, has been published in Scientific Reports and has also been acknowledged by The Ministry of Science & Technology.
The study has revealed that genetics could help diagnose Type-1 diabetes in Indians.
“It is widely believed that only children and adolescents get Type-1 diabetes and obese and older – typically after 45 years of age – get Type-2 diabetes.However, recent findings have shown that Type-1 diabetes can occur later in life, while Type-2 diabetes is on the rise among younger and thinner Indians.
Distinguishing the two types of diabetes, has therefore, become more complex. The two types follow different treatment regime with Type-1 diabetes needing lifelong insulin injections but Type-2 diabetes often being managed with diet or tablet treatment. Misclassification of the type of diabetes may lead to sub-standard diabetes care and possible complications.
In this context, this particular study gains importance as it helps in diagnosing diabetes from its Type-1 and Type-2 variants correctly”, the study has pointed out.
“Diagnosing the right diabetes type is an increasingly difficult challenge for clinicians, as we now know that Type-1 diabetes can occur at any age. This task is even harder in India, as more cases of Type-2 diabetes occur in people with low BMI (body mass index). We now know that our genetic risk score is an effective tool for Indians, and can help get people on the treatment they need to avoid life-threatening complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis and to achieve the best health outcomes”, said Dr Richard Oram, of the University of Exeter Medical School.
Developed by the University of Exeter, the genetic risk score takes into account detailed genetic information that are known to increase the chance of developing Type-1 diabetes.
“As more than 20 per cent of people with Type-1 diabetes below the age of 15 years of age are in India, developing a genetic test kit to reliably detect Type-1 from Type-2 diabetes holds a lot of significance for the country,” opined Dr Rakesh K Mishra, Director of the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology.
The Indian research team included Dr.SeemaBhaskar, Dr GR Chandak and Mr. Inder Deo Mali.
