Diabetes diagnosis with Randox Reagents
Diabetes diagnosis with Randox Reagents
The prevalence of diabetes is steadily increasing across the world, with approximately 422million people worldwide with diabetes and is currently one of the leading causes of death in the world. A diabetes diagnosis comes in three forms; Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Gestational Diabetes. Each type of diabetes can have long-term, detrimental effects to your health if it is not controlled, with some of the key complications being heart disease, kidney damage, retinopathy and even limb amputations.
Diabetes can be controlled through maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise, however in situations where complications occur, innovative testing can aid in the prevention and management of detrimental consequences to patients. Randox Reagents offer a range of high performance and unique tests which can be used to manage complications of diabetes such as:
Diabetic Nephropathy
Kidney disease is a life threatening complication of diabetes, commonly called diabetic nephropathy in patients with diabetes. Around 40% of people with diabetes develop diabetic nephropathy, characterised through prolonged periods of high glucose levels in the blood. To effectively monitor diabetic nephropathy, it is essential to test cystatin C levels in patients, which is a useful indicator of renal function in patients where creatinine measurements are unreliable. Unlike creatinine, cystatin C does not have a ‘blind area’ – up to 50% of renal function can be lost before significant creatinine elevation occurs. This makes cystatin C capable of detecting early stage kidney dysfunction in patients with diabetic nephropathy.
Microalbumin testing is also important to identify patients with diabetic nephropathy approximately 5-10 years earlier than proteinuria tests, helping to reduce the incidence of end stage renal disease. This is because low albumin concentrations in the urine are the earliest market of renal damage and therefore enable preventative measures to be taken.
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a severe complications of uncontrolled diabetes which contains a number of conditions which occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Metabolic syndrome can be monitored through measuring Non-Esterified Fatty Acids (NEFA), which are molecules released from triglycerides by the action of the enzyme lipase and are transported in the blood bound to albumin. NEFA contributes a small proportion of the body’s fat, however they provide a large part of its energy, with elevated concentrations having adverse effects on both carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
With the global burden of diabetes rising year on year, diabetes complications monitoring has never been more important. Randox Reagents offer a wide range of innovative testing to laboratories, to help clinicians accurately diagnose and monitor diabetes complications.
Download our diabetes brochures to find out about our full range of diabetes reagents
Randox reagents are available for a wide range of clinical chemistry analysers. For more information, please contact reagents@randox.com
Superior Performance & Unique Tests
Superior Performance & Niche Reagents
Randox offer a range of high performance, unique and niche reagents that are designed to enhance your laboratory testing capabilities.
Our impressive portfolio of high performance & unique tests together with our standard assays sets us apart in the in vitro diagnostics market. Our superior performance reagents and methodologies deliver highly accurate and specific results, that can facilitate earlier diagnosis of disease states with confidence and precision.
Benefits of High Performance Reagents
Reduce Costs
We can help create cost-savings for your laboratory through excellent stability, eliminating the requirement for costly test re-runs. Our quality reagents also come in a range of different kit sizes to reduce waste and for your convenience.
Confidence in Patient Results
Our traceability of material and extremely tight manufacturing tolerances ensure uniformity across our reagent batches. All of our assays are validated against gold-standard methods.
Applications Available
Applications are available detailing instrument-specific settings for the convenient use of the Randox superior performance & unique assays on a wide variety of clinical chemistry analysers.
Superior Performance Offering
Randox offer an extensive range of 115 assays across routine and niche tests, and cover over 100 disease makers. Our high performance assays deliver superior methodologies, more accurate and specific results compared to traditional methods.
Reduce Labour
Reduce valuable time spent running tests. Randox reagents come in liquid ready-to-use formats and various kit sizes for convenient easy-fit. Barcode scanning capabilities for seamless programming.
Unique Offering
Our range of unique assays means that Randox are one of the only manufacturers to offer these tests in an automated biochemistry format.
The in vitro diagnostics market is continuously adapting to the changes in laboratory testing. Consequently, Randox have continued to reinvest in R&D to produce superior performance & unique tests offering laboratories choice, quality and innovation.
The Randox Lp(a) assay is calibrated in nmol/l and traceable to the WHO/IFCC reference material (IFCC SRM 2B) and provides an acceptable bias compared with the Northwest Lipid Metabolism Diabetes Research Laboratory (NLMDRKL) gold standard. A five-point calibrator with accuracy-based assigned target values (in nmol/l) is available, accurately reflecting the heterogeneity of the apo(a) isoforms.
The Randox bile acids test utilises an advanced enzyme cycling method which displays outstanding sensitivity and precision when compared to traditional enzymatic based tests. The Randox 5th Generation Bile Acids test is particularly useful in paediatrics where traditional bile acids tests are affected by haemolytic and lipaemic samples.
A superior assay from Randox, the vanadate oxidation method offers several advantages over the diazo method, including less interference by haemolysis and lipaemia, which is particularly evident for infant and neonatal populations.
The Randox Fructosamine assay utilises the enzymatic method which offers improved specificity and reliability compared to conventional NBT-based methods. The Randox enzymatic method does not suffer from non-specific interferences unlike other commercially available fructosamine assays.
Soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) is a marker of iron status. In iron deficiency anaemia, sTfR levels are significantly increased, however remain normal in the anaemia of inflammation. Consequently, sTfR measurement is useful in the differential diagnosis of microcytic anaemia.
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Get in touch today at reagents@randox.com
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Could there be 5 types of diabetes?
A peer-reviewed study, published in The Lancet Medical Journal suggests there are five types of diabetes. Could diabetes be more complex than we once thought? Could diabetes be segmented into five separate diseases?
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an incurable disease which prohibits the body’s ability to produce and respond to insulin. Currently, diabetes is classified into two main forms, type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease which manifests in childhood. In type 1 diabetes, the body’s white blood cells attack the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. As a result, individuals with Type 1 diabetes rely on the injection of insulin for the remainder of their lives.
Type 1 diabetes affects 10 percent of individuals with diabetes. 96 percent of children diagnosed with diabetes have type 1. Type 1 diabetes in children is commonly diagnosed between the ages of 10 and 14. The prevalence of type 1 diabetes in children and young people (under the age of 19) is 1 in every 430-530 and the incidence of type 1 in children under 14 years of age is 24.5/100,000 (Diabetes UK, 2014).
Type 2 diabetes is the result of insulin resistance, meaning that the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body’s cells do not respond to the insulin produced. As type 2 diabetes is a mixed condition, with varying degrees of severity, there are a few methods to manage the disease, including dietary control, medication and insulin injections.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 90 percent of individuals with diabetes, and has now become a global burden. The global prevalence of diabetes has almost doubled from 4.7 percent in 1980 to 8.5 percent in 2014, with a total of 422 million adults living with diabetes in 2014. It is expected to rise to 592 million by 2035. In 2012, diabetes accounted for 1.5 million deaths globally with hypertension causing a further 2.2 million deaths. 43 percent of these deaths occurred before 70 years of age. Previously type 2 diabetes was commonly seen in young adults but is now commonly seen in children as well. In 2017, 14% more children and teenagers in the UK were treated for diabetes compared to the year before (World Health Organization, 2016).
In both forms of diabetes, hyperglycemia can occur which can lead to number of associated complications including renal disease, cardiovascular disease, nerve damage and retinopathy.
The novel subgroups of adult-onset diabetes and their association with outcomes: a data-driven cluster analysis of six variables – peer-review study
This new research studied 13,270 individuals from different demographic cohorts with newly diagnosed diabetes, taking into consideration body weight, blood sugar control and the presence of antibodies, in Sweden and Finland.
This peer-reviewed study identified 5 disease clusters of diabetes, which have significantly different patient characteristics and risk of diabetic complications. The researchers also noted that the genetic associations in the clusters differed from those seen in traditional type 2 diabetes.
Cluster One – Severe autoimmune diabetes (SAID)
SAID is similar to type 1 diabetes. SAID manifests in childhood, in patients with a low BMI, have poor blood sugar and metabolic control due to insulin deficiency and GADA. 6% of individuals studied in the ANDIS study were identified with having SAID.
Cluster Two – Severe insulin-deficient diabetes (SIDD)
SIDD is similar to SAID, however, GADA is negative. This means that the characteristics of SIDD are the same as SAID, young, of a healthy weight and struggled to make insulin, however, SIDD is not the result of an autoimmune disorder as no autoantibodies are present. Patients have a higher risk of diabetic retinopathy. 18% of subjects in the ANDIS study were identified with having SIDD.
Cluster Three – Severe insulin-resistant diabetes (SIRD)
SIRD is similar to that of type 2 diabetes and is characterised by insulin-resistance and a high BMI. Patients with SIRD are the most insulin resistant and have a significantly higher risk of kidney disease, and microalbuminuria, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. 15% of subjects in the ANDIS study were identified as having SIRD.
Cluster Four – Mild obesity-related diabetes (MOD)
MOD is a mild form of diabetes which generally affects a younger age group. This is not characterised by insulin resistance but by obesity as their metabolic rates are close to normal. 22% of subjects in the ANDIS study were identified as having MOD.
Cluster Five – Mild age-related diabetes (MARD)
MARD is the most common form of diabetes manifesting later in life compared to the previous four clusters. Patients with MARD have mild problems with glucose regulation, similar to MOD. 39% of subjects in the ANDIS study were identified with having MARD.
This new sub-classification of diabetes could potentially enable doctors to effectively diagnose diabetes earlier, through the characterisation of each cluster, including: BMI measurements, age, presence of autoantibodies, measuring HbA1c levels, ketoacidosis, and measuring fasting blood glucose levels. This will enable a reduction in the incidence of diabetes complications and the early identification of associated complications, and so patient care can be tailored, thus improving healthcare (NHS, 2018) (The Week, 2018) (Ahlqvist, et al., 2018) (Collier, 2018) (Gallagher, 2018).
The Randox diabetes reagents cover the full spectrum of laboratory testing requirements from risk assessment, using our Adiponectin assay, to disease diagnosis and monitoring, using our HbA1c, glucose and fructosamine assays, to the monitoring of associated complications, using our albumin, beta-2 microglobulin, creatinine, cystatin c, d-3-hydroxybutyrate, microalbumin and NEFA assays.
Whilst this study is valuable, alone it is not sufficient for changes in the diabetes treatment guidelines to be implemented, as the study only represents a small proportion of those with diabetes. For this study to lead the way, the clusters and associated complications will need to be verified in ethnicities and geographical locations to determine whether this new sub-stratification is scientifically relevant.
References
Ahlqvist, E. et al., 2018. Novel subgroups of adult-onset diabetes and their association with outcomes: a data-driven cluster analysis of six variables. [Online]
Available at: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(18)30051-2/fulltext?elsca1=tlpr
[Accessed 16 April 2018].
Collier, J., 2018. Diabetes: Study proposes five types, not two. [Online]
Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321097.php
[Accessed 16 April 2018].
Diabetes UK, 2014. Diabetes: Facts and Stats. [Online]
Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/resources-s3/2017-11/diabetes-key-stats-guidelines-april2014.pdf
[Accessed 16 April 2018].
Gallagher, J., 2018. Diabetes is actually five seperate diseases, research suggests. [Online]
Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-43246261
[Accessed 16 April 2018].
NHS, 2018. Are there actually 5 types of diabetes?. [Online]
Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/news/diabetes/are-there-actually-5-types-diabetes/
[Accessed 16 April 2018].
The Week, 2018. What are the five types of diabetes?. [Online]
Available at: http://www.theweek.co.uk/health/92048/what-are-the-five-types-of-diabetes
[Accessed 16 April 2018].
World Health Organization, 2016. Global Report on Diabetes, Geneva: World Health Organization.
If you are a clinician, dietitian or laboratory who are interested in running diabetes assays, Randox offer a wide range of high-quality routine and niche assays including: fructosamine, glucose, HbA1c for diagnosing and monitoring diabetes, albumin, beta-2 microglobulin, creatinine, cystatin c, NEFA, microalbumin, and d-3-hydroxybutyrate to monitor associated complications, and adiponectin as a biomarker for diabetes risk assessment. These assays can be run on most automated biochemistry analysers.
Instrument Specific Applications (ISA’s) are available for a wide range of biochemistry analysers. Contact us to enquire about your specific analyser.
For more information, visit: https://www.randox.com/diabetes-reagents or email: reagents@randox.com
Randox Reagents celebrate World Kidney Day 2017
On 9 March 2017, Randox Reagents are celebrating World Kidney Day! World Kidney Day is a global campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health. It aims to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
This year, the World Kidney Day promotes education on the harmful consequences of obesity and its association with kidney disease, advocating healthy lifestyle and health policy measures that make preventive behaviours an affordable option.
With this in mind, throughout the week we have been sharing on social media some interesting facts on diagnostic tests which can help aid an early risk assessment of kidney disease in obese patients, allowing preventative action to be taken before any serious damage occurs. The tests of focus this week included cystatin C, adiponectin and microalbumin…
Cystatin C
The creatinine test is routinely run for patients who are suspected for deteriorating kidney function, however this test has limitations. Cystatin C is an alternative test, and is particularly useful in patients where creatinine measurements are not suitable e.g. individuals who are obese, malnourished, have liver cirrhosis or reduced muscle mass. Importantly, unlike creatinine, cystatin C does not have a ‘blind area’ – up to 50% of kidney function can be lost before significant creatinine elevation occurs. Cystatin C is extremely sensitive to very small changes in kidney function and is therefore capable of detecting early stage kidney dysfunction. The cystatin C test therefore allows preventative measures to be taken much earlier and before significant kidney function decline.
Adiponectin
There is substantial evidence that excess visceral fat is the main driving force for almost all of the disorders associated with the metabolic syndrome, including CKD.1,2 The adiponectin test from Randox can accurately assess levels of abdominal visceral fat, independent of age, race or fitness level.3,4 Assessing adiponectin, and therefore visceral fat levels, can help assess risk of CKD, as well as a range of other illnesses such as pre-diabetes, CVD and various cancers.
Microalbumin
The microalbumin test detects very low levels of a blood protein called albumin, in urine. The detection of albumin in urine can be an indicator of kidney injury and can result in irreversible damage if left untreated. Low albumin concentrations in the urine are the earliest marker of kidney damage and therefore enable preventative measures to be taken. Microalbumin testing can identify individuals with diabetic nephropathy approximately 5-10 years earlier than proteinuria tests helping reduce the frequency of end stage renal disease.
Both World Kidney Day and Randox are working towards improving healthcare worldwide. With continuous investment in R&D, Randox are helping with the risk assessment and earliest detection of renal function problems. By assessing one’s risk of kidney problems (with the adiponectin test), it can give patients (obese and other) the tools to prevent kidney problems further on down the line. With early diagnosis (through the cystatin C and microalbumin tests) it will be possible to keep kidney problems from getting worse, therefore lowering the number of those diagnosed with CKD worldwide.
For health professionals
If you are a clinician or lab interested in running renal function assays, Randox offers a large range of high quality routine and niche assays including: Cystatin C, Creatinine Enzymatic and Jaffe, Microalbumin, Urinary Protein, Urea, Sodium, Potassium, Albumin, Ammonia, β2- Microglobulin, Calcium, Chloride, Glucose, HbA1c, IgG, LDH, Magnesium, Phosphorus (Inorganic), and Uric Acid. These can be run on most automated biochemistry analysers.
For more information, download our Diabetes Brochure or email reagents@randox.com.
References
- Hall JE, Henegar JR, Dwyer TM, et al. Is obesity a major cause of chronic renal disease?Adv Ren Replace Ther. 2004;11(1):41–54. [PubMed]
- Tchernof A, Després JP. Pathophysiology of human visceral obesity: an update.Physiol Rev. 2013;93(1):359–404. [PubMed]
- Matsuzawa, Y. The role of fat topology in the risk of disease. Int J Obes. 2008;32:s83-s92.
- Frederiksen, L., Nielsen, T. L., Wraae, K., Hagen, C., Frystyk, J., Flyvbjerg, A., Brixen, K. and Andersen, M. Subcutaneous Rather than Visceral Adipose Tissue Is Associated with Adiponectin Levels and Insulin Resistance in Young Men. JCEM, (2009) 94 (10): 4010-4015.
Further reading:
Microalbumin shifts when changing reagent batch
A laboratory running a competitors 3rd party Microalbumin QC noticed shifts in their QC values whenever they changed reagent batch.
They tested two levels of quality control over three different batches of reagent the results can be seen in the table below.
| Competitor Control – Microalbumin | ||
| Reagent Batch |
QC Level One |
QC Level Two |
| 1 | 19.9 | 81.0 |
| 2 | 29.7 | 90.5 |
| 3 | 50.4 | 122.4 |
As can be seen from the findings above, Microalbumin results shifted significantly each time they changed reagent batch. This was the case for both the level one and level two control however when the lab tested the same set of patient samples across the three reagent batches results were consistent and did not show the same shifts.
The laboratory decided to contact Randox and ask about our Microalbumin controls. They were concerned about the shifts seen with their current supplier and highlighted the fact they were no longer confident in the results they were releasing. This led to them trialling the Randox liquid ready-to-use Microalbumin control with the same three reagent batches they tested previously.
Having tested two levels of the Randox quality control over the same three reagent batches the laboratory reported to us that their results were back on track and they were delighted with the outcome! The results of the Randox control can be seen in the table below.
| Randox Control – Microalbumin | ||
| Reagent Batch |
QC Level One |
QC Level Two |
| 1 | 33.5 | 158.8 |
| 2 | 34.9 | 164.9 |
| 3 | 34.8 | 168.0 |
The difference seen with the Randox control across the three reagent batches was much smaller than that of their previous control and was in line with the changes seen with their patient samples.
This case study highlights the commutability of the Randox QC range. By using a control with a matrix that reacts to the test system in the same manner as the patient sample the laboratory was confident in the patient test results produced and were able to meet ISO 15189:2012 requirements.
Microalbumin Calibrator
Dedicated Microalbumin calibrator designed for use with Microalbumin assays on a wide range of clinical analysers. 6 levels are provided in a liquid ready-to-use format making it both easy and convenient to use.
Features & Benefits
- Liquid ready-to-use
- 100% human serum
- Stable to expiry date at 2oC – 8oC
- Once opened stable to expiry date at 2oC – 8oC
| Description | Size | Analytes | Cat No | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microalbumin Calibrator Series | 6 x 2ml | 1 | MA1567 | |
Analytes
- Microalbumin