Experts fear a diabetes test is failing to detect the disease in thousands of Asians who may be unaware they have the condition, a study said yesterday.
Researchers at Hong Kong Chinese University said they believed the test, which worked well with Caucasians, was not suited to Asian subjects.
Oriental population
"Although [the test] is often used to diagnose diabetes, increasing data suggest that this value is not sensitive enough to detect [the disease] especially in the Oriental population," the statement said.
"It's possible people have been tested and given the all-clear but could be carrying the illness," Chan Wing-bun, part of the university research team, said.
Chan said the differences in reactions among ethnic groups was baffling.
"We believe it is probably because of the genetic differences between Caucasians and Asians, but we cannot be sure," he said.
The study tested 230 Hong Kong people with high blood pressure, and found that a quarter had undiagnosed diabetes.
However, only 60 percent of sufferers were detected to be diabetic through the regular test recommended by the World Health Organization. The rest were detected with a more time-consuming and more expensive test.
Diabetes affects the level of blood-sugar, the essential fuel needed to provide the natural energy that keeps us alive.
Patients with diabetes can develop other ailments such as heart or kidney disease. Hypertension patients are more likely to develop diabetes.
Chan said the results suggest that Asians are deficient in insulin, a chemical the body produces to regulate the level of blood sugars and said people in the high-risk group should have themselves tested.
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