Prediabetes Subtypes: Detect and Reduce Diabetes Risk Early
Type 2 diabetes has many causes. The health consequences of this metabolic disorder and the risk of complications are correspondingly diverse. Researchers at the DZD were able to identify six clearly differentiated subtypes even in the preliminary stages of diabetes (prediabetes). These subtypes have a different risk for diabetes and secondary diseases such as fatty liver, kidney disease or nerve damage. The discovery of the subtypes makes it possible to assess the risk of the disease for those affected more precisely and to reduce it through targeted prevention (precision medicine).
Type 2 diabetes is not a disease that develops suddenly. It usually develops over years from a preliminary stage, prediabetes. However, how quickly prediabetes develops into manifest diabetes and the risks for complications vary greatly from patient to patient. Researchers at the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) therefore looked for reliable signs of future diabetes.
