Assessment of Diabetes Risk in Adults: Profiling Undiagnosed Prediabetics and Diabetic Individuals using IDRS and Glycated Hemoglobin in Uttarakhand, India.

Abstract

Background:

The incidence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is on the rise globally. In India, the prevalence of diabetes in adults has surged to 9.3%. However, only 45.8% of the population is aware of their diabetic status. Keeping this prospective in mind, a recent study was conducted to assess the risk of diabetes in undiagnosed prediabetic and diabetic individuals. The study employed the Indian Diabetes Risk Score (IDRS) as a screening tool and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) as a diagnostic marker for diabetes and prediabetes.

Material and methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted after obtaining approval from the ethics committee of the institution. The study included participants from the five districts of Uttarakhand who met the following inclusion criteria: a) aged 18 years or older at the time of enrollment, b) not previously diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, and c) permanent residents of Uttarakhand for at least 10 years. Data were collected from 513 participants, between December 2020 and December 2023 to fulfill our study objectives.

Results:

Of the 513 participants, 56.3% were male and 43.7% were female. The mean age of the participants was 37 years (SD ±12.6). Among the participants, 204 (39.8%), 198 (38.6%), and 111 (21.6%) had moderate, high, and low diabetes risk scores, respectively. The HbA1c level was used as one of the diagnostic criteria given by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) to confirm the diagnosis of prediabetes and diabetes. Of the 513 participants, 61 (11.89%) and 30 (5.84%) were prediabetic and diabetic, respectively. A significant association was observed between subjects with higher risk scores and HbA1c levels.

Conclusion:

 IDRS is a validated and non-invasive screening tool for diabetes mellitus and prediabetes. It can be used as a substitute for other more expensive and invasive testing tools in areas such as Uttarakhand, which is part of the sub-Himalayan region. Providing healthcare services to remote areas in Uttarakhand is a big challenge compared with metro cities. Our study supports the validity of IDRS as it can be used as a cost-effective tool for mass screening of diabetes and prediabetes.