How is CFRD diagnosed?

Before the 4th of July, we posted a short introduction to CF related diabetes (CFRD). This week, we wanted to continue with that topic and offer more detail as to how the disease is diagnosed.

The most common test used to diagnose CFRD is the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). This test is simple and only takes a couple of hours to complete.

In most CFRD cases, insulin is the common treatment prescribed. There are several types of insulin: rapid acting, fast acting, intermediate acting, and long acting.

The intermediate and long acting are for daily use to help control the basal insulin (insulin needed on a daily basis to maintain proper health).

The rapid and short acting are used more for meal time coverage. In CFRD some patients will produce enough insulin to maintain the basal insulin, but not enough to cover the meals throughout the day. Therefore most patients with CFRD are placed on short acting insulin.

Short acting insulin should only be given if there are plans to eat within 15 to 20 minutes of the shot.

Insulin shots should be taken in a fatty part of the body (such as the belly, thigh, buttocks, upper arm, and back of upper arm). It may be difficult for CF patients to find excess fat and if that is the case, they need to pinch the skin in the area they are going to inject and inject at a 45 degree angle.