The diagnosis of diabetes: new international classification and diagnostic criteria.

The National Diabetes Data Group and the World Health Organization recently made recommendations concerning the classification of diabetes mellitus and proposed new diagnostic criteria. These recommendations are summarized and their bases elucidated. Certain discrepancies between the recommendations are apparent and the reasons for these and their resolution are discussed. The shortcomings and difficulties that remain are largely due to a lack of knowledge of the etiology and pathogenesis of the most common forms of diabetes. Wide acceptance of the proposals promises much greater uniformity in diagnosis and classification than has occurred before, and should enhance the comparability and applicability of research concerning diabetes nationally and internationally.