Type 1 diabetes mellitus

What it is

Diabetes is classified into four main categories: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), which is diabetes diagnosed in the second or third trimester of pregnancy that was not clearly overt diabetes prior to gestation, and specific types of diabetes.

Type-1 diabetes mellitus accounts for 5-10%. Its onset is acute. It can present at any age, commonly in childhood and adolescence. It is characterized by the classical symptoms of weight loss, polyuria and polydipsia, and it is prone to ketoacidosis. The majority have positive autoantibodies against B-cell components such as Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase (GAD65), Islet antigen-2, Zinc Transporter-8 (ZnT8) and Insulin.

Causes and risk

It sits among the autoimmune diseases, named beside Hashimoto's thyroiditis and vitiligo. Type 1 diabetes mellitus and autoimmune thyroid disease occur more commonly in patients with celiac disease, and T1DM is listed among the conditions associated with celiac disease beside Hashimoto's thyroiditis and pernicious anemia. One case in the material is a young woman with type 1 diabetes mellitus well controlled on basal-bolus insulin who also has Graves disease.