Kraft Prediabetes Profile is a timed test that measures the patient’s insulin response to a measured glucose challenge and return to baseline over a 4-hour period. This test looks at patterns of insulin response rather than a strict cut-off point for glucose.
These patterns delineate the severity of insulin resistance, as a patient progresses from normal insulin sensitivity to postprandial hyperinsulinemia to the insulinopenic state found in beta-cell exhaustion. This spectrum of insulin response allows the clinician to identify insulin resistance early in its development. The resulting evaluation of insulin resistance severity can be used to monitor efficacy of treatment.
 
There are five patterns of insulin response that begins with normal sensitivity and progresses to severe insulin resistance and then finally to an insulinopenic state.The five patterns of insulin response correspond with the timing of the insulin peak after the glucose challenge. Normally, insulin peaks quickly after a meal, or glucose challenge in this case, and then drops precipitously back to baseline, Pattern I.
As insulin resistance becomes more severe, the insulin response to glucose peaks later and later, Patterns II-IIIB. In Pattern IV, insulin is high in the fasting state and rises even further in attempt to keep blood sugar under control. Islet cell exhaustion is illustrated by Pattern V, or insulinopenia, in which the patient’s pancreas is no longer able to produce an adequate amount of insulin.
 
Collection Considerations
1. Begin by FASTING 8-12 hours before performing the test. It is easiest to start after an overnight fast.
2. Transportation assistance to and from your chosen health care facility may be necessary as some people experience nausea, faintness, and/or weakness from fasting and after specimen collections.
3. Bring the entire kit contents with you to your practitioner’s office.
4. Inspect the kit contents (see list above) and lay, them out on a flat surface.
5. Locate the yellow label on each bloodspot card, indicating proper time for use. Collect the bloodspot specimen 6 times according to the following intervals: fasting, 1/2 hour, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, and 4 hours. The 5 collections after fasting are timed according to the completion of consuming the glucose beverage.
6. Write your name and record the date and time on each bloodspot card.
 
Helpful Hints
1. Have a protein rich meal the evening before collection.
2. Drink a large glass of water approximately one hour before collection. Drinking water is encouraged throughout the 4- hour collection period.
3. Rub your hands together until they feel warm. Keep your fingertips down while rubbing to encourage blood flow.
4. Collect while standing.
5. After 3rd hour, drink warm water if you feel weak or shaky.
6. Fill the all 5 collection circles. Do not overlap, this will result in a rejected sample.