| Theme |
Forefront of Diabetic Nephropathy |
| Title |
Current concept of diabetes in Japanese --Genetics, life style factors, and comparison with other ethnic groups |
| Author |
Yoshihiko Takahashi |
Department of Metabolic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo |
| Author |
Takashi Kadowaki |
Department of Metabolic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo |
| [ Summary ] |
Diabetes Survey 1997 suggests that there may be more than 6 million diabetic patients in Japan. The Ministry of Health and Welfare introduced a concept of lifestyle-associated disease, and makes a stress on the primary prevention of diseases and promotes an individual effort on changes in lifestyle. Diagnostic criteria of diabetes have been revised, including modification of the disease category and a decrease in the cut-off value of fasting plasma glucose for the diagnostic criteria. Genetic scanning for diabetes has identified many genes causing diabetes; in the clinical issue, large intervention studies have demonstrated that tight control of glycemia and blood pressure is important for prevention of diabetic complication. |