Using Pharmacogenetics to Improve Treatment in Early-onset Diabetes

Monogenic diabetes is an unusual form of diabetes. It usually presents in patients under the age of 30, so is often misdiagnosed as Type 1 diabetes which is more common. Patients with monogenic diabetes can often be treated with tablets rather than insulin injections, leading to better control of their diabetes, and fewer side-effects and complications. Less than 5% of people with monogenic diabetes in the UK have been identified, meaning up to 20,000 patients may still be misdiagnosed and receiving inappropriate treatment. We want to identify the best way of ensuring that people diagnosed with diabetes under the age of 30 have all the necessary tests to ensure they have the correct treatment for their particular type of diabetes. A small number of people may, as part of this study, be found to have a specific genetic cause of their diabetes and in these cases we will measure the success and benefits of changing their treatment, usually from insulin injections to sulphonylurea tablets.