Type 1 diabetes: diagnosis

Type 1 diabetes, previously called insulin-dependent diabetes, can develop at any age but is usually diagnosed during childhood and adolescence.                                                                                                      

A person with type 1 diabetes can live a full and healthy life, provided they follow their treatment plan and maintain good control of their blood glucose levels with support from their healthcare provider. [1,2].

It is important to know and recognise the signs specific to type 1 diabetes as early as possible [4]. Should symptoms appear, it is extremely important to consult a healthcare provider for further investigation to establish a diagnosis [2,5].

Type 1 diabetes: diagnostic test

Do you or one of your children have the following symptoms: excessive appetite, increased urination or extreme thirst [1,2,4,5]?

During a consultation, your general practitioner may request several blood tests to measure your glycaemia (blood glucose levels). [4,5]. 

When tested on an empty stomach (fasting) and in the presence of the symptoms described above, diabetes is diagnosed if your blood glucose level exceeds 7.0 mmol/L. If you take the blood test not having fasted, a value higher than 11.1 mmol/l is considered a positive diagnosis of diabetes [5].

Another test used to screen for type 1 diabetes is the concentration of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). This must be higher than 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) for a positive diagnosis [5].

Screening tests are simple and widely available. They should be carried out if your healthcare provider considers it necessary, especially if you or your child is showing the symptoms of type 1 diabetes [1,2,4,5].

In the event of a positive diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, these tests can subsequently be used to define appropriate treatment and thus prevent health complications [2,3].