Prediabetes, undiagnosed diabetes and diabetes risk in Italy in 2017–2018: results from the first National screening campaign in community pharmacies

Abstract

Abstract Background Effective policies for diabetes prevention remain urgent. We conducted a mass screening campaign in Italy to identify subjects potentially having undiagnosed diabetes, prediabetes or at diabetes risk. Methods This cohort study was conducted in community pharmacies joining the unitary National federation of pharmacy holders (Federfarma) and participating in the 7-day screening campaign ‘DiaDay’ in 2017–2018. Capillary blood glucose levels and the risk of developing diabetes in 10 years (through the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score) were assessed. Results 145 651 volunteers aged ≥20 years without known diabetes were screened at 5671 community pharmacies in 2017 and 116 097 at 5112 in 2018. Overall, 3.6% had glucose values suggestive of undiagnosed diabetes; under fasting conditions (N = 94 076), 39.9% and 16.4% had values suggestive of prediabetes by the American Diabetes Association and the World Health Organization criteria, respectively. Of those without diabetes (N = 252 440), 19.2% had scores compatible with a high risk (1:3) and 2.7% with a very high risk (1:2) of developing the disease; in the prediabetes group, the risk rose with higher impaired fasting glucose values. Conclusions DiaDay, the first National screening campaign, highlights the need to screen the population and the key role of the pharmacist both in screening activities and education promotion.