More importantly, they could be used to target those in whom drug therapy or bariatric surgery would be of the most benefit. The observation that continued weight gain among the already obese is a powerful predictor of diabetes onset also holds implications for patient management.
Even if [obese patients] can’t lose weight, "if we can prevent additional weight gain we can modulate their subsequent risk for prediabetes and diabetes," he said.
The Dallas Heart Study received grant support from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, the U.S. Public Health Service General Clinical Research Center, and the National Institutes of Health. Dr de Lemos reported receiving grant support from Roche Diagnostics, Abbott Diagnostics, and Alere. He also received consulting income from Tethys Bioscience, AstraZeneca, and Daiichi Sankyo; and lecture honoraria from Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi-Aventis.