Article dedicated to IDF translational research programme BRIDGES supported by an educational grant from Lilly Diabetes.
Non-communicable disease (NCD) represents a leading threat to health and human development [1]. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is now considered to be one of the most common non-communicable diseases globally. It is the fourth/fifth leading cause of death in most high-income countries and there is substantial evidence that it is epidemic in many economically developing and newly industrialized nations [2]. Complications from diabetes, such as coronary artery and peripheral vascular disease, stroke, diabetic neuropathy, amputations, renal failure and blindness are resulting in increasing disability, reduced life expectancy and enormous health costs for virtually every society [3–6].