PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Behan, Kristina Jackson
TI  - Screening for Diabetes: Sensitivity and Positive Predictive Value of Risk Factor Total
AID  - 10.29074/ascls.18.4.221
DP  - 2005 Oct 01
TA  - American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
PG  - 221--225
VI  - 18
IP  - 4
4099  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/18/4/221.short
4100  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/18/4/221.full
SO  - Clin Lab Sci2005 Oct 01; 18
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Screening for diabetes is recommended for individuals ≥45 years of age, or earlier if they manifest ≥ one specific risk factors. This study examined the sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of risk factor total for identifying individuals with diabetes and prediabetes.DESIGN: Subjects were interviewed to assess the presence of risk factors. Fasting plasma glucose levels were obtained.SETTING: The study occurred at a health fair in Greens-burg, PA.PATIENTS: Six hundred sixty-one Caucasians between the ages of 19 and 100.RESULTS: Using the criterion of screening individuals with ≥ one risk factors detected 100% of both diabetics and prediabetics. This dropped to 91.2% when screening individuals with > two factors. The PPV of the risk factor total was poor (80% of individuals with a total of four factors were not diabetic). The ability of the risk factor total to predict individuals with impaired glucose metabolism (prediabetics + diabetics) was considerably better, and increased almost linearly with the risk factor total. Of the subjects with normal glucose values, the mean glucose increased as the risk factor total increased.CONCLUSION: While the sensitivity of using ≥ one risk factor as an algorithm to screen is 100% for identifying diabetics, the PPV of risk factor analysis for identifying diabetics is poor. The same algorithm works well to identify at-risk individuals, presumably allowing early intervention and education.ABBREVIATIONS: FPG = fasting plasma glucose; PPV = positive predictive value.