Validation of a type 2 diabetes screening tool in rural Honduras.
OBJECTIVE
To validate a low-cost tool for identifying diabetic patients in rural areas of Latin America.


METHODS
A regression equation incorporating postprandial time and a random plasma glucose was used to screen 800 adults in Honduras. Patients with a probability of diabetes of > or =20% were asked to return for a fasting plasma glucose (FPG). A random fifth of those with a screener-based probability of diabetes <20% were also asked to return for follow-up. The gold standard was an FPG > or =126 mg/dl.


RESULTS
The screener had very good test characteristics (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.89). Using the screening criterion of > or =0.42, the equation had a sensitivity of 74.1% and specificity of 97.2%.


CONCLUSIONS
This screener is a valid measure of diabetes risk in Honduras and could be used to identify diabetic patients in poor clinics in Latin America.
Milton
Evan C
EC
Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Herman
William H
WH
Aiello
Allison E
AE
Danielson
Kris R
KR
Mendoza-Avelarez
Milton O
MO
Piette
John D
JD
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005215:Fasting; D006721:Honduras / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D011203:Poverty; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D001786:Blood Glucose