Question

A patient has been diagnosed with Type 1

diabetes in their late teens and is being treated
with exogenous insulin, but a second physician
is not convinced that the patient has Type 1
diabetes, but rather has Type 2 diabetes. A
measurement of which one of the following
would allow the physician to determine which
diagnosis is correct?
(A) Insulin levels
(B) C-peptide levels
(C) Glucagon levels
(D) Epinephrine levels
(E) HbA1c levels

Answer 1

The physician can determine whether the patient has Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes by measuring C-peptide levels.

Step-by-step explanation:

The physician can determine whether the patient has Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes by measuring C-peptide levels.

In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce insulin, so C-peptide levels will be low. In contrast, in Type 2 diabetes, the pancreas may produce normal or even high levels of insulin, so C-peptide levels will be normal or high.

By measuring C-peptide levels, the physician can differentiate between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and determine the correct diagnosis.