The test is useful for the early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Various studies have shown that the increase of intact proinsulin in the blood allows a prediction of developing type 2 diabetes up to 5 years in the future. Intact proinsulin in the blood is a highly specific laboratory indicator of ß-cell dysfunction.
The test is set up to differentiate disease-related elevated levels (> 15 pmol/l after meals) from normal intact proinsulin levels. By a laboratory analysis now exact values of the increased, intact Proinsulins in the blood must be determined. Only about 2 drops of capillary blood (50 µL) are used.