Diagnostic yield of screening for type 2 diabetes in high-risk patients: a systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the value of using risk factors to decide which patients should undergo serum screening for type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
The MEDLINE and EMBASE electronic databases were searched for original studies of screening for type 2 diabetes on the basis of risk factors. The reference lists of all reviews, letters, editorials, consensus statements, and guidelines for diabetes screening were searched for additional studies. The Cochrane database was also searched for relevant reviews.


METHODS
All original studies regarding selective serum screening for type 2 diabetes on the basis of risk factors were included. review. Three studies were cross-sectional in design; 3 employed survey data to develop computerized statistical models that used risk factors to identify cases of type 2 diabetes; and 1 used a similar method, but the resulting model was field tested in a separate population. No study describes a risk-factor-based method or instrument that helps substantially in the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.


CONCLUSIONS
Selective screening for type 2 diabetes on the basis of risk factors cannot be recommended. Serum screening can be offered to patients who present with typical symptoms of diabetes.
Rao
G
G
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-St. Margaret, PA 15215, USA. gouthamr@pop.pitt.edu
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose