LADA type diabetes is latent, slowly developing diabetes in adults. LADA is a special form of this disease. Its causes are the same as for type 1 diabetes, but its symptoms are similar to type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It is often misdiagnosed as the latter type of diabetes, which may lead to incorrect treatment. Find out how to recognize LADA and how to treat it.

Contents:

  1. LADA type diabetes - causes and risk factors
  2. LADA type diabetes - symptoms
  3. LADA type diabetes - diagnosis
  4. LADA and type 1 and type 2 diabetes - differences
  5. LADA type diabetes - treatment

LADA(latent autoimmune diabetes in adults) is a special type of type 1 diabetes. It develops in adults (over 35 years of age) and is slow to progress . Its causes are the same as in type 1 diabetes, but its symptoms are similar to type 2 diabetes. For this reason, it is often misdiagnosed as type 1 or type 2 diabetes. It is believed to affect about 5-10% of the disease. cases of type 2 diabetes diagnosed after the age of 35.¹ It can be as high as 50% non-obese people diagnosed with type 2 disease. At the same time, LADA diabetes accounts for approx. 10 percent. all cases of diabetes.

LADA type diabetes means:

  • latent type 1 diabetes
  • slowly progressive insulin-dependent diabetes
  • diabetes of young adults
  • late-onset type 1 diabetes
  • slowly progressive type 1 diabetes
  • type 2 diabetes with antibodies present

LADA type diabetes - causes and risk factors

LADA type diabetes - like type 1 diabetes - has an autoimmune basis. For unknown reasons, the immune system attacks the pancreas which produces insulin - it makes antibodies against the beta cells in the pancreas, which are destroyed. As a consequence, there is a gradual decrease in insulin production, which leads to an increase in blood sugar and the development of diabetes. However, in LADA, the destruction of pancreatic beta cells is much slower than in type 1 diabetes.

LADA type diabetes - symptoms

LADA type diabetes may have symptoms of diabetestypes 1 and 2. However, unlike type 1 diabetes, where symptoms appear suddenly, LADA takes years to develop and blood glucose levels increase gradually. Symptoms that may suggest LADA include :

  • excessive thirst
  • polyuria
  • visual disturbance

Characteristics of LADA

  • age - it develops until the age of 35 to 50
  • normal body weight or slightly overweight ( although overweight and obesity do not exclude the occurrence of this form of diabetes)
  • no family history of diabetes
  • coexistence of an autoimmune disease, e.g. hyperthyroidism
  • presence of anti-GAD or other anti-exsudative antibodies in the blood
  • low concentration of C-peptide (after the test with glucagon)

LADA type diabetes - diagnosis

It is not possible to diagnose LADA solely on the basis of symptoms. To make a definitive diagnosis, test for islet antibodies.

Patients who develop diabetes between the ages of 30 and 50 and have no risk factors for type 2 diabetes (obesity, family history of diabetes, etc.) should be tested for LADA.

In LADA, anti-GAD and ICA antibodies play a major role in the destruction of beta cells in the pancreas, and it is their presence in the blood (especially anti-GAD antibodies) that proves LADA type diabetes. According to some authors, the titer of autoantibodies is higher in patients ultimately diagnosed with LADA than in patients with type 1 diabetes, and this is another feature that distinguishes these two types of diabetes. Some also point out that the high titer of autoantibodies in LADA diabetes lasts longer than in type 1 diabetes .³

Fasting or fasting C-peptide levels should also be determined after intravenous administration of glucagon. In the course of LADA, the concentration of this peptide is low, with no increase after administration of glucagon. The concentration of C-peptide is another feature that distinguishes LADA from type 2 diabetes - in the latter case, the level of C-peptide is normal or initially elevated. However, these tests are performed only in specialized centers.

Important

LADA and type 1 and type 2 diabetes - differences

What distinguishes LADA from typical type 1 diabetes is the slower process of destroying pancreatic beta cells - it can last for years. In addition, LADA develops in adults - between the ages of 35 and 50 - not in adultschildren and adolescents, such as type 1 diabetes.

In LADA, as in type 2 diabetes, adequate glycemic control can be achieved in the initial stage of the disease through diet and oral antihyperglycaemic drugs. type 2 diabetes. These are not the only differences. Other features differ from type 2 diabetes mellitus, such as lack of obesity, hypertension, and no family history of diabetes. Additionally, people with LADA often have an autoimmune disease or a family history of it (e.g., hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism).

LADA type diabetes - treatment

In the initial stage of the disease (for several months, less often for several years), treatment with diet or oral antihyperglycemic drugs is sufficient. However, most specialists suggest that when LADA is diagnosed, insulin therapy should be started as this inhibits the self-destruction of the pancreatic islet .²

In addition - as in all types of diabetes - diet and increasing physical activity are important.

There are more and more suggestions for the use of immunomodulating treatment with recombinant GAD65 in patients with LADA type diabetes .³

Also read:

  • Professor Ewa Pańkowska: why do we have diabetes? [INTERVIEW]
  • Pre-diabetes, one step away from diabetes
  • MODY type diabetes
  • Mixed (double) diabetes - causes, symptoms and treatment

Category:

Diabetes