New Sub-Phenotyping of Subjects at High Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: What Are the Potential Clinical Implications?

Prediabetes is defined as a condition of abnormal glucose metabolism, characterised by plasma glucose above normal range but not as high as required for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM). It represents a heterogeneous entity of intermediate glucose metabolism, including impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, and borderline glycated haemoglobin. Prediabetes is being increasingly recognised as an important metabolic state not only predisposing to a higher probability of future progression to DM, but also to an increased risk of different micro- and macrovascular complications. The recently proposed sub-phenotyping of individuals at increased risk of type 2 DM, which distinguishes six different clusters, offers the opportunity for the improvement in screening, prevention, and treatment algorithms. Such progress should also enable more efficient and cost-effective strategies aimed at decreasing the disease burden associated with prediabetes.