An all-Italian study, published in September in the well-known journalPLoS ONEand conducted by the team by Dr. Giuseppe Maulucci, a researcher at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (Department of Engineering and Institute of Pathology, Rome) and in collaboration with Policlinico Gemelli, led to the development of a new diagnostic method capable of monitoring the stage of juvenile diabetes and predicting the risk of possible complications, including diabetic retinopathy.
The progression of juvenile diabetic disease, i.e. type 1 or insulin-dependent diabetes, is currently detected and monitored through the glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) test. However, this test has certain limitations as, under certain circumstances, it can lead to conflicting measurements, mainly due to the test's sensitivity and reproducibility not being entirely optimal.
Against this backdrop, there is therefore a need to develop highly sensitive diagnostic methods capable of ensuring that the glycaemic status of individuals with type 1 diabetes is estimated as accurately as possible.
The new diagnostic method, which is carried out by means of a simple blood sample, is based on 'intelligent' software capable of analysing the plasma membrane of red blood cells by means of microscopic scale images. This membrane, in fact, undergoes considerable alterations as a result of diabetic pathology, resulting in its increased fluidity. This resulting 'phase change' in the structure of red blood cells can be a real marker and a more sensitive index than HbA1c levels.
The production and commercialisation of this diagnostic method is likely to enable early diagnosis and highly accurate glycaemic dosing, also allowing a greater possibility of preventing complications due to juvenile diabetes.
Bibliography
Maulucci G et al. PLoS ONE 12(9): e0184109.
Dr. Carmelo Chines
Direttore responsabile
English 
Italian