What is LADA?Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults is called LADA for short. It's a type of Diabetes with a mix of both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Bits of it are more like Type 1, and other bits are more like Type 2. That's why some people call it Type 1.5 Diabetes or Type 1 ½ Diabetes.Symptoms of LADA?People with LADA present with similar symptoms like Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes, but they generally come on much slower than they do with Type 1, over months rather than weeks. And the symptoms are more obvious and often come on more quickly than you'd expect with Type 2.People with LADA tend to have a healthy weight in contrast to Type 2 Diabetes where being overweight is a major risk factor.Since this form of Diabetes is immune mediated and slowly progressing, it is also known as slowly evolving autoimmune Diabetes.Diagnosing LADADiagnosing LADA can be difficult, and some people are diagnosed with having Type 2 Diabetes by mistake.If you have LADA, you'll usually have antibodies in your blood that are usually found in people with Type 1 like Anti-GAD antibody.It's usually diagnosed in people aged 30 to 50 years old.Treating LADALADA straddles Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes with elements of both. You'll usually start taking oral medication, usually metformin, and go on to insulin as your blood sugar levels start to go up.You tend to go on to insulin much quicker than you would normally if you had Type 2 Diabetes..MODYMODY i.e. maturity onset Diabetes in young is a rare form of Diabetes which is different from both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, with a very strong family history.MODY is caused by a mutation (or change) in a single gene. If a parent has this gene mutation, any child they have, has a 50 per cent chance of inheriting it from them.Clinical features usually develop before 25 years of age, irrespective of weight, lifestyle, ethnic group etc.The key features of MODY are:Being diagnosed with Diabetes under the age of 25.Having a parent with Diabetes, with Diabetes in two or more generations.Not necessarily needing insulin. MODY is very rare compared with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.It's important to know if you've got MODY, for the following reasons:To make sure you get the right treatment and advice for your Type of Diabetes (e.g. stopping insulin).As there is a 50% chance of a parent passing on MODY to their child, you can consider and discuss the risk to any children you have/plan to have.Genetic testing can be offered to other family members.If you think you might have MODY you should discuss testing with your doctor.Testing for MODY involves:Having blood taken for pancreatic antibodies and blood tested for C-peptide along with MODY gene analysis.Dr Ankur Sharma is Consulting Physician and Diabetologist
What is LADA?Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults is called LADA for short. It's a type of Diabetes with a mix of both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Bits of it are more like Type 1, and other bits are more like Type 2. That's why some people call it Type 1.5 Diabetes or Type 1 ½ Diabetes.Symptoms of LADA?People with LADA present with similar symptoms like Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes, but they generally come on much slower than they do with Type 1, over months rather than weeks. And the symptoms are more obvious and often come on more quickly than you'd expect with Type 2.People with LADA tend to have a healthy weight in contrast to Type 2 Diabetes where being overweight is a major risk factor.Since this form of Diabetes is immune mediated and slowly progressing, it is also known as slowly evolving autoimmune Diabetes.Diagnosing LADADiagnosing LADA can be difficult, and some people are diagnosed with having Type 2 Diabetes by mistake.If you have LADA, you'll usually have antibodies in your blood that are usually found in people with Type 1 like Anti-GAD antibody.It's usually diagnosed in people aged 30 to 50 years old.Treating LADALADA straddles Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes with elements of both. You'll usually start taking oral medication, usually metformin, and go on to insulin as your blood sugar levels start to go up.You tend to go on to insulin much quicker than you would normally if you had Type 2 Diabetes..MODYMODY i.e. maturity onset Diabetes in young is a rare form of Diabetes which is different from both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, with a very strong family history.MODY is caused by a mutation (or change) in a single gene. If a parent has this gene mutation, any child they have, has a 50 per cent chance of inheriting it from them.Clinical features usually develop before 25 years of age, irrespective of weight, lifestyle, ethnic group etc.The key features of MODY are:Being diagnosed with Diabetes under the age of 25.Having a parent with Diabetes, with Diabetes in two or more generations.Not necessarily needing insulin. MODY is very rare compared with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.It's important to know if you've got MODY, for the following reasons:To make sure you get the right treatment and advice for your Type of Diabetes (e.g. stopping insulin).As there is a 50% chance of a parent passing on MODY to their child, you can consider and discuss the risk to any children you have/plan to have.Genetic testing can be offered to other family members.If you think you might have MODY you should discuss testing with your doctor.Testing for MODY involves:Having blood taken for pancreatic antibodies and blood tested for C-peptide along with MODY gene analysis.Dr Ankur Sharma is Consulting Physician and Diabetologist
