Diabetic stages of disease progression have been reduced to five distinct stages of beta-cell destruction leading to diabetes. The article, by Gordon C. Weir and Susan Bonner-Weir of the Joslin Diabetes Center, outlines changes to beta-cell mass, phenotype, and function. Stage one is compensation: the body increases insulin secretion to counter insulin resistance and/or decreasing beta-cells. This is most commonly found in relation to obesity. Stage two is marked by rising glucose levels that reach 5.0-6.5 mmol/L signifying beta-cell adaptation and loss of beta-cell mass. Stage three is marked by rapidly rising glucose levels leading to stage four characterized by stable decompensation with severe beta-cell dedifferentiation. Stage five is severe decompensation with severe reduction of beta-cell mass and onset of ketosis. The researchers stated that the movement between the stages goes both ways with properly treated diabetes moving towards smaller numbers (http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/53/suppl_3/S16.full).

Diabetic Retinopathy Stages

There are four …