American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) Applauds USPSTF’s Updated Diabetes Screening Guidelines
10-14-2014

Broadened Screening Criteria Consistent With AACE Guidelines

 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – (October 14, 2014) – The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) today expressed its support of the United States Preventive Services Task Force’s (USPSTF) updated diabetes screening recommendations, which now closely mirror AACE’s clinical guidelines.

 

“We are very pleased that the expanded USPSTF guidelines are now more aligned with our organization’s clinical guidelines,” said Dr. Yehuda Handelsman, chair of the AACE Diabetes Scientific Committee and President of the American College of Endocrinology (ACE), AACE’s scientific and educational arm. “In view of the epidemic of diabetes and the near 90 million people with pre-diabetes, these guidelines will allow for an earlier and better identification of diabetes for the benefit of patients and healthcare.”

 

Issued October 6, 2014, the USPSTF draft guideline recommendations apply to adults who already have pre-diabetes, focusing on people with impaired fasting glucose (IFG), a condition in which the fasting blood glucose level is consistently elevated above what is considered normal levels, but is not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes mellitus; impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), a pre-diabetic state of high blood sugar in which cells fail to respond to the normal actions of the hormone insulin; and diabetes.

 

Additionally, in the draft recommendations, other factors which identify people with high risk for diabetes now include being 45 years or older, overweight or obesity, or a first-degree relative with diabetes. Women with a history of gestational diabetes or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are at increased risk as are certain racial/ethnic minorities as compared to whites, including African Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Hispanics/Latinos and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders.

Created in 1984, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is an independent, volunteer panel of national experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine. The Task Force works to improve the health of all Americans by making evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services such as screenings, counseling services, and preventive medications.

Task Force members come from the fields of preventive medicine and primary care, including internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, behavioral health, obstetrics and gynecology, and nursing. Their recommendations are based on a rigorous review of existing peer-reviewed evidence and are intended to help primary care clinicians and patients decide together whether a preventive service is right for a patient's needs.

 

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About the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) represents more than 6,500 endocrinologists in the United States and abroad. AACE is the largest association of clinical endocrinologists in the world. The majority of AACE members are certified in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism and concentrate on the treatment of patients with endocrine and metabolic disorders including diabetes, thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, growth hormone deficiency, cholesterol disorders, hypertension and obesity. Visit our website at www.aace.com.

About the American College of Endocrinology (ACE) The American College of Endocrinology (ACE) is the educational and scientific arm of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE). ACE is the leader in advancing the care and prevention of endocrine and metabolic disorders by providing professional education and reliable public health information; recognizing excellence in education, research and service; promoting clinical research and defining the future of clinical endocrinology. For more information, please visit www.aace.com/college.