New genetic markers improve the accuracy of diabetes diagnosis among Africans

A recent scientific study conducted in Uganda has revealed new biomarkers and genetic markers that may help doctors diagnose type 2 diabetes more accurately in people of African descent, in a move that highlights the shortcomings of internationally accepted diagnostic standards.

The researchers pointed out that most of the tools currently used to diagnose type 2 diabetes, such as the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test, which measures average blood sugar levels over a period of time, were developed based on studies conducted on people of European descent, which may make them less accurate when used with Africans due to genetic and biological differences.

The study, published in the journal Nature Genetics, included 163 people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, along with 362 healthy Ugandan volunteers. The researchers identified 58 previously unknown genetic variants specific to people of African descent.

The study added that 18 of these genetic variants are directly linked to type 2 diabetes, including variants that can be targeted using existing drugs, opening the door to improved diagnosis and treatment.

The researcher at the University of Exeter in Britain and the study’s leader, Obayemi Surimikon, said that focusing on African populations reveals biological aspects that have not received enough attention in global diabetes research.