Usefulness of the evaluation of the titres of glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibody (GADAs) in patients with diabetes

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases characterized by chronic increase of glucose level. Recent years brought much progress in understanding its complex pathogenesis. The classification that has been valid since 1999 which divided diabetes mellitus to type 1, type 2, gestational, and a group of “other specific syndromes.” has become inadequate to current knowledge. The differential diagnostics of types of the diseases is playing an increasing role in diabetology, as it enables selection of optimal treatment methods, as well as, the assessment of prognosis referring to the diabetes course and complications occurrence. One of the indicators enabling such an assessment is the determination of the titres of autoantibodies, among them anti-GAD. Increasing the titre of these autoantibodies indicates an autoimmune basis for the development of diabetes and the need for insulin therapy in its treatment. Materials and methods: This paper presents a retrospective analysis of 7 patients with diabetes diagnosed initially as type 2 diabetes. The determination of the level of C-peptide and the titres of autoantibodies carried out in subsequent years allowed us to verify the diagnosis of type diabetes. Conclusion: This analysis indicates the importance of determining the level of C-peptide and the titres of autoantibodies for the early diagnosis of autoimmune diabetes mellitus.