Diabetes update.

This paper summarizes the new classification of diabetes mellitus (and other categories of glucose intolerance) and presents some clinically important aspects of the new insulins. The new classification promises to bring to the field considerable uniformity, previously lacking. The five clinical classes are: Type I (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM), Type II (non-insulin-dependent, NIDDM), "other types", gestational diabetes (GDM) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). The two statistical risk classes are: previous abnormality of glucose tolerance (Prev AGT) and potential abnormality of glucose tolerance (Pot AGT). These are mutually exclusive classes. Criteria recommended for use by clinicians and researchers are presented in detail, as well as information on the oral glucose test and normal glucose tolerance. Particular attention is drawn to the differences in glucose metabolism (tolerance) characteristics in non-pregnant adults, children and pregnant females. The new insulins are so called because of increased purity achieved by new purification methods. They are not new formulations or types of insulin. Contamination of insulin preparations by other hormones or compounds (e.g. glucagon, pro-insulin, pancreatic polypeptide) is now at a very low level.