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| Categories: Types of Diabetes |
| Types of Diabetes |
Additional article for types of Diabetes |
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Type 1 in disguise - LADA Diabetes
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LADA stands for "late onset autoimmune diabetes in adults" and describes a rare but important phenomenon.
Within the course of diabetes it is not always possible to classify a certain type of diabetes at once. LADA is one of these forms- a type 1 diabetes disguises phaenotypically as type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes, commonly affecting people over 40, is diagnosted as type 2. But it really is a mild form of type 1 diabetes with a long latency period until requiring insulin. The differences are striking: in contrast to type 2 diabetics who tend to physical corpulence LADA patients are rather slim with an average body mass index of 26. This diabetes is "milder", because the destruction of beta cells producing insulin evidently occurs at a slower rate.
(Source: Karlsburg, Diabetiker Ratgeber 5/2004)
Decisive for the diagnosis is the evidence of antibodies: Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase antibodies - GAD is an enzyme in the islets of Langerhans - and islet cell antibodies (ICA´s). Both are useful indicators for a subsequent insulin dependency which occurs to LADA patients on the average after 2 to 3 years. Until then taking oral antidiabetic agents, diet and exercise helps these patients to get along well. In comparison, it takes about 6 years to occur to type 2 diabetics. The results of studies in Karlsruhe showed the following: The higher the weight of the patients, the longer the time of insulin independency. A connection between this period of time and the number of antibodies apparently does not exist. It is important to think of the possibility of LADA in everyday practice. Type 1 diabetes of adults should not be misconceived. After all, 10 to 15% of all diabetics are affected by this LADA.
(Source : Ärztezeitung Nr. 118/2001, Diabetiker Ratgeber 5/2004)
Translated by Birgit Valendiek
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