Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system mistakenly attacks your beta cells. Eventually, your beta cells become so damaged that they can’t produce enough insulin to meet your body’s needs. When that happens, you may begin to experience symptoms like these: 

 

  • Extreme thirst 
  • Frequent urination 
  • Increased hunger 
  • Unexplained weight loss 
  • Fatigue or weakness 
  • Blurred vision

  

Symptoms can arise rapidly or develop slowly over a period of time. It can initially be easy to overlook these symptoms or chalk them up to other causes, like a cold or the flu. As a result, early on, many people don’t even realize they have T1D. This can be dangerous. If someone doesn’t get the right medical care, they could develop diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which can be life-threatening. 

However, T1D can actually be detected long before symptoms appear. After decades of study, researchers identified telltale signs of the immune attack on beta cells that ultimately leads to T1D. These signs are called autoantibodies.   

Five different autoantibodies may be associated with T1D. If you have two or more of them, you are more likely to develop T1D than if you have one or none. A blood test can tell how many of them you have.  

Using a blood test to look for autoantibodies before you have symptoms of T1D is an example of screening. It’s like doctors checking your cholesterol level to see if you may have heart disease, even if you feel fine. The goal of screening is to find a problem early and intervene to limit any harm it may cause. 

  

What’s the point of screening for T1D? 

You might wonder about the benefit of screening for T1D, since there is currently no way to prevent it once the immune attack has begun. But according to Michael Natter, MD, an endocrinologist at NYU Langone Health, “There can be tremendous value in screening for T1D.” Here are a few of the advantages:  

 

Time to learn and prepare 

T1D is a complex disease, and there is a lot to learn about managing it. Knowing you or someone you love is at risk can give you more time to gather information, assemble a medical care team, make a plan to monitor your health, and prepare for the many changes that T1D can bring. 

Better health outcomes 

If you know that you or a loved one is at risk for T1D, you can watch for the symptoms and get prompt medical care. This will help keep blood glucose levels from climbing dangerously high. Doing so can help avoid hospitalization, DKA, and other complications at the onset of symptoms. It can also lead to better metabolic indicators both at and after diagnosis, which makes it easier to manage T1D and improves outcomes in the long term.   

New and experimental treatments 

If T1D is detected early, you may be eligible for a new treatment called teplizumab that can postpone the development of symptoms by up to 3 years. You may also be able to take part in clinical studies. Research is underway to learn more about T1D, how to better manage and treat it, and — someday — how to prevent or cure it. 

 

Are there drawbacks? 

There are a few potential downsides to screening. You’ll need to give a blood sample, which can cause lightheadedness, temporary pain, or bruising. A positive result can cause anxiety or worry about developing T1D. 

The uncertainty about when or if T1D will develop can also be stressful. On the other hand, there is some evidence that screening may lead to less stress when T1D does develop. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that a negative result doesn’t guarantee you won’t develop T1D. 

   

What’s involved in screening for T1D? 

The screening test checks for autoantibodies in a blood sample. If any are present, you might take another test to confirm the results. You might also get a glucose tolerance test to measure how well your body processes sugar. 

If the results show you are likely to develop T1D, you might repeat the tests in the future to track your health status. Diabetes experts recommend periodic monitoring for people at risk of developing T1D. 

   

Who can be screened? 

Anyone can request a T1D screening test through their doctor. There are also research programs focused on screening for T1D. Some enroll people who have a family member with T1D, and others enroll children regardless of their family’s T1D status.   

T1D does have a genetic component, and you are more likely to develop it if any of your close relatives live with T1D. However, most people diagnosed with T1D have no family history of the disease. Find out more about screening opportunities that may be available to you.  

 

 

One way to get connected to diabetes research opportunities is via the T1D Exchange Registry. The Registry is an online research study for people living with T1D in the US. To join, eligible participants fill out an online questionnaire that gathers information on demographics, diabetes management, and other healthcare details. Join the Registry today!