ABSTRACT The high prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in subjects with β-thalassemia major (TM) requires targeted screening so that glucose dysregulation (GD) can be detected as early as possible. The determination of the optimal method for identifying patients at risk for progression from impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) to diabetes mellitus (DM) is challenging and remains an area of considerable research interest. This report reviews the current diagnostic criteria for prediabetes and DM, highlights controversies and new diagnostic challenges, and reports the preliminary data of a survey promoted by the International Network of Clinicians for Endocrinopathies in Thalassemia and Adolescent Medicine (ICET-A) on the criteria used for the diagnosis and monitoring of GD by 15 centers providing care to patients with TM.
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