deCODE T2™

Detects risk of type 2 diabetes independent of family history and obesity. Identifies prediabetics at high near-term risk of conversion to T2D. Predicts responsiveness to major classes of diabetes drugs.

Screening and prevention

How deCODE T2™ can help.

Identifies those at increased risk of T2D.

High-risk individuals may benefit most from aggressive lifestyle modification efforts and/or drug treatment.

Provides more complete risk information.

The genetic risk detected by the deCODE T2™ test is largely independent of any other risk factors that a patient may have. The risk conferred by these other factors can simply be multiplied by the test results to yield a comprehensive risk assessment.

Identifies prediabetics who are at high risk of developing full-blown T2D.

With deCODE T2™ physicians can identify those prediabetic patients who are at a 50-70% likelihood of becoming diabetic within the next 3 to 4 years compared to the baseline risk of 30% in overweight or obese prediabetics.

Enables personalized drug treatment and prevention.

Large-scale, published studies have shown that patients who have the high-risk TCF7L2 genotype detected by the test are likely to respond better to metformin than sulfonylureas. The 2010 ADA recommendations on management of prediabetics state: “In addition to lifestyle counseling, metformin may be considered in those who are at very high risk (combined IFG and IGT plus other risk factors) and who are obese and under 60 years of age.”

When it comes to type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevention, understanding risk is the first step in taking action of reducing the likelihood of developing the disease.

The incidence of T2D is rising rapidly throughout the industrialized world. The American Diabetes Association estimates there are more than 20 million diabetics in the United States alone. The vast majority have T2D, and perhaps a third of diabetics are undiagnosed. In addition, more than 50 million Americans are prediabetic (impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance).

About a third of these patients will convert to T2D within three years, while another third will remain as prediabetics and the remaining third will return to normal glucose levels without intervention. (Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group, “Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin”⁽⁶⁾. The ADA is focusing on prediabetes as the clinical tipping point for intervention to prevent or delay conversion to T2D. Its recommendation is yearly screening for prediabetes using fasting blood glucose in patients with higher risk for T2D and more aggressive strategies for prevention in obese prediabetics with other risk factors for conversion.

This content was last reviewed on March 16, 2011.