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.”

deCODE T2™ detects risk of type 2 diabetes independent of family history and BMI.

deCODE T2™ is a reference laboratory test that measures DNA markers which have been widely replicated as risk factors for type 2 diabetes (T2D). These markers have been discovered and replicated in published studies involving tens of thousands of patients and controls from multiple populations. The deCODE TCF7L2 marker is the strongest genetic risk factor discovered so far for Type 2 diabetes and has been validated in over 40 populations and multiple continental ancestries.

Substantially impacts overall assessed risk in a significant proportion of people .

Approximately 10% of people of European descent taking deCODE T2™ will receive a score putting them at more than 1.5-times the population average risk of developing T2D. Some 14% of those of East Asian descent and 2% of people of African descent taking the test will be at similarly elevated risk. Because this risk is independent of that conferred by other risk factors, deCODE T2™ results should be multiplied by the impact of those other risk factors to yield a comprehensive risk assessment. A better understanding of individual risk is the basis for more effective prevention.

Lifestyle modification, including better diet, more exercise and weight loss, is the mainstay of T2D prevention. deCODE T2™ provides personalized information that can help to motivate compliance. In addition to measuring overall risk, the test identifies those prediabetic patients who are more likely than not to become fully diabetic within the next few years if they do not bring down their glucose levels. Furthermore, the test can help to establish whether metformin or sulfonylureas may be best suited a particular individual.

This content was last reviewed on February 04, 2011.