Detecting Diabetes Without A Needle: The Spit Factor

Main Category: Diabetes
Also Included In: Preventive Medicine;  Conferences
Article Date: 29 Apr 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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Research promoting a painless new method for detecting diabetes, utilizing saliva, will be revealed Friday, May 15, at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 18th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress in Houston, Texas.

While searching for biomarkers that may indicate diabetes, doctors examined the saliva of 40 different patients. Through salivary analysis, they managed to devise a new "non-invasive" method for detecting diabetes that foregoes the uncomfortable prick of a needle -- patients need only to spit into a cup. The spit test could be performed for little cost in a doctor's office or at a patient's home.

"Our goal was to characterize proteins in human saliva that may indicate prediabetes and type-2," said Srinivasa R. Nagalla, MD a member of the research team. "Analysis of these proteins allowed us to develop a new method for screening, detecting and monitoring the diabetic state."

Also at the 2009 AACE 18th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress, diabetes experts will analyze the NICE-SUGAR study's impact on inpatient glycemic control. Other topics of interest include a look at the wide ranging impact of vitamin D in the human body, and clinical recommendations for the treatment of prediabetes -- America's largest healthcare epidemic.

About AACE

AACE is a professional medical organization with more than 6,200 members in the United States and 92 other countries. Founded in 1991, AACE is dedicated to the optimal care of patients with endocrine problems. AACE initiatives inform the public about endocrine disorders. AACE also conducts continuing education programs for clinical endocrinologists, physicians whose advanced, specialized training enables them to be experts in the care of endocrine disease, such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, growth hormone deficiency, osteoporosis, cholesterol disorders, hypertension and obesity.

About the AACE Annual Meeting

The 18th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress will be held in Houston, Texas on May 13-17 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, Hilton Americas Houston. The AACE Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress is structured to provide relevant clinical information for the practicing endocrinologist. The programs will focus on information that allows endocrinologists to achieve the best solutions for the diagnosis and management of endocrine diseases. Pertinent scientific, clinical practice and patient management will be disseminated via general sessions, workshops, meet-the-experts and satellite symposia.

Source: American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists

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