Impact of the new WHO classification and diagnostic criteria

The World Health Organisation (WHO) [1] consultation group and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) [2] have recently published revised criteria for the classification and diagnosis of diabetes. If widely implemented, these recommendations, together with earlier and improved treatment, could have a profound impact on the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. The changes in classification stem from an increased knowledge of the aetiology and pathogenesis of diabetes, which signals the move away from a classification system based on pharmacological dependency towards one that is based on the underlying causes of the disease.