[Epidemiology, prediction and prevention of type 1 diabetes: not one fiction in Belgium].
The achievements of the Belgian Diabetes Registry (BDR) over a period of almost 20 years are described. This registry is a national and multicentric initiative that collects blood samples and information from diabetes patients and their relatives and treats the results in a confidential and protected way. Not only could the size of the health care problem 'diabetes' finally be quantified and monitored in Belgium for the age group 0-39 years, but in addition a platform was created for the early detection of individuals at high risk of the disease and its complications. This is a conditio sine qua non for the preparation of internationally competitive prevention studies and novel beta cell therapies, that could be effectively launched in Belgium with the help of BDR.
Gorus
F K
FK
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Diabetes Research Center, Brussel.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; D008297:Male; D011322:Primary Prevention; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors