Better Diabetes Diagnoses in Sweden

The Swedish study Better Diabetes Diagnosis (BDD) has now been ongoing for ten years and detailed information and blood samples have been collected from more than 8000 children and adolescents with newly diagnosed diabetes. We have been able to demonstrate that by means of HLA diabetes antibodies and C-peptide the discrimination between type one and type 2 diabetes is improved. These analyses are therefore included in the clinical check-up for all children and adolescents in Sweden who are diagnosed with diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is by far the most prevalent type of diabetes among Swedish children and adolescents. Type 2 diabetes is still relatively rare in Sweden but it is urgent to obtain a correct diagnosis as the long-term prognosis depends on a prompt pharmacological treatment. Monogenic diabetes (MODY) is also important to identify early. We therefore recommend that sequencing of MODY genes should be performed if an individual with newly-diagnosed diabetes is auto-antibody negative and has an HLA pattern associated with low risk for type 1 diabetes. However, despite these analytical tools it can be difficult to make the correct diabetes diagnosis initially. It is therefore prudent to re-evaluate the diabetes diagnosis after one year.