Role of a diagnostic laboratory in the management of diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE To elucidate the role of a modern diagnostic laboratory in the management of diabetes mellitus. SOURCES OF DATA Available literature on local and international studies on the role of the laboratory in the management of diabetes mellitus. RESULTS Preclinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, good monitoring of short, medium and long-term glycaemic control necessary to avoid diabetic complications in poor resource settings are now possible with modern diagnostic laboratories. CONCLUSION Creating the required awareness on the roles of a diagnostic laboratory in the management of diabetes mellitus is needed now more than ever before in resource poor nations otherwise the success achieved by the developed world where diabetic patients become insulin independent after islet cell transplant with glucocorticoid free immunosuppression cannot be attained in the near future.