[Outline of revision of classification and diagnostic criteria of diabetes mellitus in Japan].

Japan Diabetes Society organized a committee for the revision of diagnostic criteria of diabetes mellitus in 1995. Like ADA and WHO reports, this committee adopts a classification based on etiologies, and presents a two-dimensional figure with etiologies and the state of insulin deficiency on different axis. The words IDDM and NIDDM will be retained as terms representing the different degree of insulin deficiency. On the basis of glycemia, diabetic type is defined when fasting plasma glucose exceeded 126 mg/dl and/or 2-hour plasma glucose by 75 g GTT exceeded 200 mg/dl. The diagnosis of diabetes in an individual can be made by confirming sustained diabetic type on repeated tests or co-existance of characteristic clinical features of diabetes. Normal type is defined by FPG < 110 mg/dl and 2hPG < 140 mg/dl. The borderline type, defined as neither normal nor diabetic types, corresponds to IFG plus IGT according to ADA and WHO reports. The application of HbA1c for diagnosis of diabetes and the criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus are also discussed.