[Screening methods for diabetes mellitus in aged group]

There are many methods of screening for diabetes mellitus, for example, blood glucose test, urine sugar test, hemoglobin A1c, fructosamine etc. For the purpose of more efficient screening of diabetes mellitus in elderly groups, these data were analyzed to evaluate validity and ability to estimate prognosis. 1) Validity for screening based on diabetic type was analyzed in 27,074 cases. For screening with the standard level of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) > or = 120 mg/dl, sensitivity was 70.5%, specificity, 94.5%, predictive value, 89.0%, hemoglobin A1c > or = 6.5%, 62.7%, 91.2%, 81.5%, respectively, and fructosamine > or = 290 mumol/L, 54.1%, 92.3%, 78.1%, respectively. FPG had the highest validity. Comparison of validity between the > or = 65-yr group and the < or = 55-yr group was mode. There was significant difference in specificity but sensitivity and predictive value were lower in the > or = 65-yr group. 2) Mean blood glucose levels (BG) +/- S.D. by time after meal were studied. Fasting BG was 84.8 +/- 9.8 mg/dl, 0.5-1 hr. BG after meal, 100.8 +/- 24.5 mg/dl, and 4.5 hr or more, 84.1 +/- 12.8 mg/dl. Based on this data, standard levels for screening based on diabetic type using random blood glucose levels for 0.5-1 hr BG after meals were > or = 130 mg/dl, 1.5-2 hr BG > or = 120 mg/dl, and 3.5 hr or more BG and FBG > or = 100 mg/dl.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)