Advances in clinical laboratory tests for
diabetes mellitus have been reported. 1) Examinations for diagnosis of
diabetes mellitus: Assay of
autoantibody to
glutamic acid decarboxylase was commercially developed recently. This is useful for distinguishing
insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (
IDDM) from non-
autoimmune diabetes and for predicting the prognosis in
IDDM. 2) Examinations for assessment of
glycemic control: New methods of assessing
glycemic control in patients with
diabetes mellitus (glycated
albumin, 1,5-anhydroglucitol) have been developed. It is important to be familiar with the characteristics of each test and to use each one properly. Because of the large interlaboratory difference in
glycohemoglobin (GHb) measurement has been an issue of greatest importance, standardization of GHb measurement was required. To reduce this difference, it is recommended to remove unstable GHb and to correct the value using the JDS GHb standard. Currently, the difference has been reduced to a clinically permissible level (the fourth report of the GHb standardization committee). 3) Examinations for chronic complications in diabetes: Disturbances of the central nervous system may occur as
diabetic neuropathy in patients with
diabetes mellitus. Progress in thermology has revealed latent aortic occlusive disease in the legs and autonomic disturbance that lead to abnormal vascular responses. 4) Examinations for self-monitoring of
blood glucose: The technology used for noninvasive
blood glucose monitoring involves either radiation or fluid extraction. Each method has features predicting commercial viability.