Diabetes Assessment Panel

This panel is designed to help distinguish between the different types of diabetes, most importantly type 1 and type 2. While both involve raised blood sugar, they have very different causes and are managed in different ways, so identifying the type is important for the right treatment. Rather than simply measuring blood sugar, this panel looks at how well your body produces insulin and whether there are signs of an autoimmune cause, helping to build a clearer picture of the underlying process.

Blood sugar control

• HbA1c: the main marker of long-term blood sugar control, reflecting your average blood sugar over the past two to three months, and the key test for diagnosing and monitoring diabetes
• Haemoglobin variants (HbA2, HbF, HbS, HbC, HbD, and others if present): because HbA1c is measured on haemoglobin, certain inherited haemoglobin variants can affect its accuracy. Identifying them ensures your result is interpreted correctly

How much insulin your body makes (beta cell function)

These markers help show whether the insulin-producing cells of your pancreas are still working well, which is central to telling the types apart:

• Insulin: measures the amount of insulin in your blood
• C-peptide: released in equal amounts to insulin, it gives a reliable picture of how much insulin your body is producing itself. Low levels point towards type 1 diabetes, where insulin production is very low, while normal or high levels are more typical of type 2, where the body still makes insulin but uses it less effectively

Signs of autoimmune (type 1) diabetes

• Insulin autoantibodies (IAA): these can indicate an autoimmune process attacking the insulin-producing cells, which is characteristic of type 1 diabetes. Their presence supports a type 1 picture, helping to distinguish it from type 2

An important note on interpretation

Classifying diabetes is not always straightforward, and no single marker gives the answer on its own. These results are interpreted together and alongside your symptoms, age, history, and blood sugar levels. Some markers, such as insulin and C-peptide, are most meaningful when interpreted with a blood sugar level taken at the same time. Your results should be discussed with your GP or a specialist, who can confirm the type of diabetes and advise on the most appropriate management.

Why it matters

Correctly identifying the type of diabetes is essential for effective treatment, as type 1 and type 2 require different approaches. This panel supports a clearer understanding of the underlying cause of raised blood sugar, which can be especially valuable where the diagnosis is uncertain, where diabetes has developed at an unusual age, or where treatment is not working as expected.