Type 2 diabetes and cardio health: A saliva test to predict the risk of complications soon available

Drs. Pavel Hamet and Johanne Tremblay participated in the development of the first genomic test to predict the risks of cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction, stroke and renal complications, in patients with type 2 diabetes.Using a sample of the patient's saliva, genotyping is carried out in order to detect the level of risk of the various possible complications.The two researchers associated with the CHUM Research Centre at the Université de Montréal have been working on developing this saliva test for around fifteen years. “We have followed the evolution of technology and genomics. The test as we currently know it has been developed since 2021 and has been tested in clinical studies,” said Dr. Tremblay.Three steps to takeThe two researchers hope this test will allow early treatment of patients at high risk of complications.“We are ready to put the test on the market, but we still have a few steps to take before,” Dr. Tremblay said. The team has received a grant totaling $12,827,735 from Genome Canada, Génome Québec, Optithera and the ELNA Medical Group to achieve its objectives.First is to submit a request for approval of the test to Health Canada. They hope to receive it within about 18 months. The second will be to set up a pragmatic clinical study, said Dr. Tremblay. This study will include 2,500 patients followed by endocrinologists at the CHUM, as well as in various clinics of the ELNA medical group in Quebec, Ontario and Alberta.“We want to demonstrate the clinical utility of the test. We also want to see how patients and doctors will react when the complication risk score is given to them, so see if they will intervene more quickly in the treatment,” she explained.These results should be available within three years. When this clinical utility is demonstrated, the researchers hope to be able to have the test reimbursed by the Régie de l'assurance santé du Québec so that it can be offered free of charge in the province.Finally, the last step consists of carrying out a study to measure the economic impact of this test. “We want to demonstrate that by improving the quality of life of patients thanks to the test, the costs for the health system will also decrease,” said Dr. Tremblay, adding that type 2 diabetes causes numerous costs to society in terms of due to the high number of new diagnoses and medical complications that the disease can cause.According to data communicated in the project funding presentation on the Génome Québec website, type 2 diabetes affects 10% of the Canadian population and treatment costs amounted to $30 billion in 2019.This article was translated from its original French and was first published in our sister publication Profession Santé.

Type 2 diabetes and cardio health: A saliva test to predict the risk of complications soon available

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