Literature review on complications of diabetes mellitus

BMJ Open ; 10 11 : e, 11 The success in reducing the mortality rate of PDAC is related to the discovery of new therapeutic agents, and to a significant extent to the development of early detection and prevention programmes. The proposed screening programme may allow the detection of PDAC in the early, operable stage. Diagnosing more patients in the curable stage might decrease the morbidity and mortality rates of PDAC and additionally reduce the burden of the healthcare.

Follow-up visits are scheduled every 6 months for up to 36 months.

Data collection is based on questionnaires. Clinical symptoms, body weight and fasting blood will be collected at each, carbohydrate antigen and blood to biobank at every second visit. The blood samples will be processed to plasma and analysed with mass spectrometry MS -based metabolomics.

The metabolomic data will be used for biomarker validation for early detection of PDAC in the high-risk group patients with new-onset diabetes. Patients with worrisome features will undergo MRI or endoscopic ultrasound investigation, and surgical referral depending on the radiological findings.

We plan to disseminate the results to several members of the healthcare system includining medical doctors, dietitians, nurses, patients and so on. We plan to publish the results in a peer-reviewed high-quality journal for professionals.

In addition, we also plan to publish it for lay readers in order to maximalise the dissemination and benefits of this trial.