antibodies, autoimmunity and diabetes

[goji]

Hi

If only 60% of type 1's test positive for autoantibodies does anyone know what is proposed to cause Type 1 in the other 40%?

Is all Type 1 autoimmune in nature and is it just that they haven't discovered the other (non AntiGAD) antibodies that affect the remaining 40%? Or do they think something else causes Type 1 as well?

Also if your diabetes is autoimmune, would you keep producing antibodies or are they only present at certain points during the course of the disease? Could you (10 years after diagnosis) have a test for Anti-GAD and C-peptide and expect to find anything?

Also did everyone get tested for antibodies? I was never told anything about my blood tests on diagnosis (this was ten years ago) so I don't know if they bothered to do C-peptide or Anti-GAD. They always said I was an odd ID diabetic.

Any info much appreciated.

Goji

 

[jopar]

goji

Some T1 diabetes are caused by drugs taken to deal with another medical conditions such as high steriods doses, another cause is pancreaitis, removal of the pancreas whether these are the missing 40% in total I wouldn't know but they would account for part of the % at least.

As to the Gad test, 10 years is properly too late to get a result... As for c-pitide I'm not sure about!

If the autimmune distroying then this will continule... Strangle when T1 gets pregnat there insulin requirements can change tranmaticaly as the progress through the pregnacy as with a lowered immmune response (other wise women wouldn;t be able to carry a baby) quite often they need less in the earlier stages of pregnancy and when baby get bigger it increases...

Hope this is of some help!

 

[phoenix]

Hi

If only 60% of type 1's test positive for autoantibodies does anyone know what is proposed to cause Type 1 in the other 40%?

Is all Type 1 autoimmune in nature and is it just that they haven't discovered the other (non AntiGAD) antibodies that affect the remaining 40%? Or do they think something else causes Type 1 as well?
According to the World Health Organisation official criteria, there are 2 forms of type 1. 1 a autoimmune and 1b idiopathic or unknown cause (those types caused by drugs trauma etc are neither type 1 or 2). Type 1b may be caused by an as yet undiscovered antibody, it might be that the marker of the antibody is not present when tested or it might be a completely different cause. On another form, a person who claims to be an endocrinologist posted that she is seeing a large rise in the numbers of type 1b diagnosed.
Also if your diabetes is autoimmune, would you keep producing antibodies or are they only present at certain points during the course of the disease? Could you (10 years after diagnosis) have a test for Anti-GAD and C-peptide and expect to find anything?
For antibodies: perhaps, some people seem to have them, others not. It might alter from time to time so would not be definitive.
A recent study of Joslin 50 year medalists, showed that many still had some beta cell function, 30% of them also had no complications. It might be that these people(the survivors) did well because they still had some slight insulin production or it maybe that there is a continual cycle of regeneration and destruction.
I have LADA, and have read one model suggsting that it might be the final result of many autoimmune 'attacks' (of a less aggressive nature than in 'classic' type 1. At first these attacks are followed by sufficient regeneration to avoid diabetes but eventually, perhaps because of age or perhaps because of the frequence or severity of attacks, too few cells are regenerated and diabetes results.



Any info much appreciated.

Goji

Hi

 

[jallsop]

I find this thread really interesting. I developed Diabetes two years ago following high dose steroid use for a year prior. I was being treated for Ulcerative Colitis, an autoimmune disease. I now am insulin dependent. However, I then developed a skin condition called Pyoderma Gangrenosum which is basically an autoimmune response and is connected to active Ulcerative Colitis. Although I had my large bowel removed, I still have some pipework in place (due to be removed next year hopefully) which is still active UC. As the PG and UC are connected, perhaps my Diabetes is not totally the fault of steroid use - possible autoimmune response?

Jackie

 

[hanadr]

People who develop one autoimmune condition, tend to develop others, so all your conditions could be due to an over-enthusiastic immune response.

 

[goji]

Thanks guys

This is really interesting info.

G.

 

[Trinkwasser]

According to the World Health Organisation official criteria, there are 2 forms of type 1. 1 a autoimmune and 1b idiopathic or unknown cause (those types caused by drugs trauma etc are neither type 1 or 2). Type 1b may be caused by an as yet undiscovered antibody, it might be that the marker of the antibody is not present when tested or it might be a completely different cause. On another form, a person who claims to be an endocrinologist posted that she is seeing a large rise in the numbers of type 1b diagnosed.

That's VERY interesting.

I've read that while the actual incidence of Type 1 remains low compared to Type 2, the rate of increase is actually higher, and some of that is regional.

So this looks like the increase is not in "classic" autoimmune Type 1.