The Quest for Type 2 Diabetes Subgroups Identification: Literature Review for a New Subtype Proposal

Type 2 diabetes is considered typically as a heterogeneous disease that englobes the potential different subtypes with distinct pathophysiological mechanisms and/or susceptibility to complications. Some authors have succeeded in the identification of some of these subgroups, but a lot of work remains to be completed. Given the effects of the sympathetic innervation via alpha 1 adrenoceptors on diabetes target organs and the interindividual variability of this receptor sensitivity, the existence of a subtype of type 2 diabetes with hyperactivation of alpha 1 adrenoceptors (HA1A) is proposed. Based on the literature review, the potential characteristics of this phenotype and its susceptibility to certain complications have been identified in this article.