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Differentially diagnosing diabetes

Make an accurate, differential diabetes diagnosis sooner

Because treatment can differ greatly among diabetes types—beyond type 1 and type 2—making the correct diagnosis early on is crucial. Quest Diagnostics has the diabetes lab tests you need to form an accurate differential diagnosis, so you have the key information to start every patient on the appropriate treatment path.

Go deeper with the right diagnostic tools

Our tests identify diabetes types that are often difficult to diagnose and that respond to different types of treatment:

  • Type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents
  • Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA)—a type of adult-onset diabetes that does not require insulin initially but can progress to insulin dependency without proper management1
  • Monogenic diabetes—this type is often misdiagnosed as type 1 or type 2. Our genetic tests can help you get the correct diagnosis, so you can provide appropriate treatment2

Learn more about tests for differential diabetes diagnosis

Monogenic diabetes, MODY

Make the right diabetes diagnosis

Quest Diagnostics is the only large commercial lab that offers comprehensive DNA testing for monogenic diabetes, a form of diabetes that is often mistaken for type 1 or type 2.2

The most common form of monogenic diabetes is maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), which represents about 2% of all diabetes cases.3 That means more than 500,000 people in the US alone have MODY; many of them are not even aware of it and may even be receiving inappropriate treatment.2,4

Diagnosing MODY is important in order to provide patients with the best treatment possible and to facilitate a potential diagnosis of MODY in other family members.2 Quest Diagnostics is proud to be the leader in MODY testing. We offer a range of MODY tests to help you not only diagnose MODY but also determine the exact form.

When to use the MODY test:

  • In patients you suspect may have monogenic diabetes
  • In patients with diabetes who present with nonketotic insulin-sensitive hypoglycemia or a family history of diabetes

We offer comprehensive testing for MODY as well as genetic testing expertise through our Athena Diagnostics division. Our genetic counselors are available to healthcare professionals for personal consultation.

Learn more about testing for monogenic diabetes, MODY tests

Monogenic Diabetes (MODY) Evaluation
HNF4A (MODY1) DNA Sequencing and Deletion Test
GCK (MODY2) DNA Sequencing and Deletion Test
TCF1 (MODY3) DNA Sequencing and Deletion Test
IPF1 (MODY4) DNA Sequencing Test
TCF2 (MODY5) DNA Sequencing and Deletion Test
CEL (MODY8) Mutation Analysis

This information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. A physician’s test selection and interpretation, diagnosis, and patient management decisions should be based on his/her education, clinical expertise, and assessment of the patient.


References
 

  1. Fourlanos S, Perry C, Stein MS, et al. A clinical screening tool identifies autoimmune diabetes in adults. Diabetes Care. 2006;29(5):970-975. doi:10.2337/diacare.295970
  2. Hattersley A, Greeley SAW, Polak M, et al. ISPAD clinical practice consensus guidelines 2009 compendium. The diagnosis and management of monogenic diabetes in children and adolescents. Pediatr Diabetes. 2009;10(Suppl. 12):33-42. doi:10.1111/pedi.12772
  3. Naylor R, Philipson LH. Who should have genetic testing for maturity-onset diabetes of the young? Clin Endocrinol. 2011;75(4):422-426. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2011.04049.x
  4. University of Maryland School of Medicine. What is MDRAP? Accessed August 25, 2021. https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/endocrinology/mdrap/

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