1. The Diabetes Between Type 1 and Type 2
LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults) is often called ‘Type 1.5 diabetes’ to make it easier for patients to understand. As its nickname suggests, it is a special type of diabetes that has characteristics of both Type 1 and Type 2, and is therefore easily mistaken for Type 2 diabetes.
2. The Two Features of LADA
– Cause like Type 1: ‘Autoimmune attack’: The cause of the disease is that the body’s own immune cells attack the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Therefore, evidence of this attack, ‘autoantibodies,’ can be found in a blood test.
– Onset like Type 2: ‘Slow and gradual’: However, the pancreatic cells are not destroyed rapidly as in Type 1, but break down very slowly over several years. For this reason, it usually develops in adults over 30, and initially, blood sugar seems to be somewhat manageable with diet or oral medication, just like Type 2 diabetes.
3. Why an Accurate Diagnosis is Crucial
If initially misdiagnosed as Type 2, medications that ‘squeeze’ the pancreas to produce more insulin might be used. This can exhaust the already struggling pancreas more quickly, actually hastening the need for insulin injections. Therefore, if a lean adult is diagnosed with diabetes, or if blood sugar control continues to worsen despite taking Type 2 diabetes medication, it is important to check for the possibility of ‘Type 1.5 diabetes’ through an autoantibody test. Ultimately, these patients, like those with Type 1, will require insulin therapy over time.
Summary: ‘Type 1.5 diabetes (LADA)’ is similar to Type 2 on the surface, but its cause is an autoimmune disease like Type 1. An accurate diagnosis is crucial as the treatment approach can be different.
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