Modern Diabetesology

Author: Zhu Xixing, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: March 1, 2002
Features: The prevalence of diabetes has been increasing globally year by year. According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2050, the global number of diabetes cases will reach 300 million, nearly doubling the current figure. Type 2 diabetes is particularly prevalent in developing Asian countries, including China! In 1995, China's diabetes prevalence rate was 2.5%, more than three times higher than 15 years earlier. In 1997, a community-based diabetes prevalence survey was conducted in Huangpu District, Shanghai, where the rate had reached 5.0%. Based on the survey results, it is estimated that China has approximately 30 million diabetes patients. However, in 1997 and 1998, diabetes prevention and control workers in China conducted research on nearly 6,500 diabetes patients across 27 centers, finding that their average fasting plasma glucose levels were 9.2 mmol/L and 9.1 mmol/L, respectively, and HbA1c levels averaged 8.8%, indicating poor overall glycemic control and a high incidence of chronic complications. Effective early prevention and control of diabetes in China still require greater efforts from all diabetes prevention and control workers nationwide! For a long time, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and WHO have placed great emphasis on the prevalence of diabetes, calling on countries to unite and carry out comprehensive scientific research on diabetes, implementing first-, second-, and third-level prevention and control measures to curb the "spread" of diabetes and reduce various severe chronic complications, with the hope of achieving the ideal of curing diabetes. As a result, research findings on diabetes have flourished in recent years, and the field of diabetes has developed rapidly. From basic theories to clinical practices and prevention strategies, existing concepts have been significantly revised to varying degrees, such as insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, the identification of late-onset autoimmune diabetes in adults, self-blood glucose monitoring, the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT), the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS), reports from the American Diabetes Association and the WHO Diabetes Classification and Diagnosis Expert Committee, diabetes education and management, and economic perspectives on diabetes. Therefore, it is very necessary to summarize the recent major advancements in diabetes research both domestically and internationally for reference. This book is divided into 15 chapters, providing a detailed introduction to the basic knowledge and clinical characteristics of diabetes, while also incorporating chapters on psychological and social issues related to diabetes, diabetes molecular biology, diabetes education and management, and diabetes community prevention and control models to strengthen diabetes prevention and control efforts in China. Among these chapters, the synthesis, secretion, and regulatory mechanisms of insulin, which are closely related to diabetes, are discussed in greater detail, along with additional sections on exercise therapy, blood and urine glucose monitoring, diabetic foot lesions, and third-level prevention and treatment of diabetes, including community-based models. Over 40 renowned experts in diabetes, endocrinology, and related disciplines from more than 20 institutions across the country have actively contributed chapters in their busy schedules of medical practice, teaching, and research, reflecting the latest international and domestic experiences. We sincerely express our gratitude to them. Due to the limitations of the editors, any inaccuracies in this book are kindly corrected. This book is divided into 15 chapters, providing a detailed introduction to the basic knowledge and clinical characteristics of diabetes, while also incorporating chapters on psychological and social issues related to diabetes, diabetes molecular biology, diabetes education and management, and diabetes community prevention and control models to strengthen diabetes prevention and control efforts in China.