National body set up to study rare form of diabetesDOMR

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Mains Paper 2: Governance | Issues relating to development & management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

Prelims level: Monogenic Diabetes

Mains level:  Efforts for preventing diabetes in India

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What is monogenic diabetes?

1. Monogenic diabetes is a rare condition resulting from mutations (changes) in a single gene.
2. In contrast, the most common types of diabetes—type 1 and type 2—are caused by multiple genes (and in type 2 diabetes, lifestyle factors such as obesity).
3. Most cases of monogenic diabetes are inherited.
4. Monogenic diabetes appears in several forms and most often affects young people.
5. In most forms of the disease, the body is less able to make insulin, a hormone that helps the body use glucose (sugar) for energy.
6. Rarely, the problem is severe insulin resistance, a condition in which the body cannot use insulin properly.

National Monogenic Diabetes Study Group

1. A National Monogenic Diabetes Study Group has been formed to identify cases of monogenic diabetes across the country.
2. At national level it is coordinated by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) and Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre (DMDSC).
3. ICMR already has a young diabetic’s registry. As an off-shoot, a National Monogenic Diabetes Study Group has been formed with MDRF as the nodal centre.
4. As of now, 33 doctors from across the country are ready to collaborate for this initiative.

Activities under the Group

1. MDRF would provide guidelines to the collaborators for identifying monogenic diabetes.
2. They need to look out for certain parameters such as children below six months of age.
3. They will also look for those diagnosed as Type 1 diabetes but have atypical features such as milder forms of diabetes, and strong family history of diabetes going through several generations.
4. The collaborators will identify cases of monogenic diabetes and send their details.
5. They will collect blood samples and following the test results they will be given the treatment.