Prediabetes: a high-risk state for developing diabetes. A Review Article

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease in which blood sugar levels are above normal for a prolonged period. Hyperglycemia indicates a defect in insulin production and/or function.  It is also associated with complications such as diabetic retinopathy, kidney disease and diabetic ketoacidosis. Globally, one in eleven adults has prediabetes, 90% of them have type 2 diabetes, so a significant portion of the population suffers from it.  The prevalence rate in Spain is more than 12%.  People with prediabetes appear to have a 30-70% chance of developing type 2 diabetes within the next 4-30 years.  Adults with prediabetes have no signs or symptoms.  As a result, many people do not realize that they are living with prediabetes. Risk factors for prediabetes include familial type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, body mass index (BMI) and a sedentary lifestyle.  According to the World Health Organization-WHO Diagnostic Standards, pre-diabetes is defined as an impaired fasting glucose-IFG between 110-125 mg/dL and/or an abnormality in the glucose tolerance test (Impaired).  glucose tolerance-IGT) 2 hours after ingestion of 75 g of glucose, where the glucose concentration is between 140-200 mg/dL.  Despite the same diagnostic IGT level, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) applies a lower cut-off for IFG FPG, between 100-125 mg/dL and glycosylated haemoglobin-HbA1C between 5.7-6.4%  As a new diagnostic standard for prediabetes.