Diabetes Metab J.  2012 Apr;36(2):136-143. 10.4093/dmj.2012.36.2.136.

Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Recently Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Patients with Positive Anti-Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase Antibody

• Hwangbo Y
• Kim JT
• Kim EK
• Khang AR
• Oh TJ
• Jang HC
• Park KS
• Kim SY
• Lee HK
• Cho YM

• KMID: 2281416
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2012.36.2.136

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) refers to a specific type of diabetes characterized by adult onset, presence of islet auto-antibodies, insulin independence at the time of diagnosis, and rapid decline in beta-cell function. The prevalence of LADA among patients with type 2 diabetes varies from 2% to 20% according to the study population. Since most studies on the prevalence of LADA performed in Korea were conducted in patients who had been tested for anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GADAb), a selection bias could not be excluded. In this study, we examined the prevalence and clinical characteristics of LADA among adult patients recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
METHODS
We included 462 patients who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within 5 years from the time this study was performed. We measured GADAb, fasting insulin level, fasting C-peptide level, fasting plasma glucose level, HbA1c, and serum lipid profiles and collected data on clinical characteristics.
RESULTS
The prevalence of LADA was 4.3% (20/462) among adult patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. Compared with the GADAb-negative patients, the GADAb-positive patients had lower fasting C-peptide levels (1.2+/-0.8 ng/mL vs. 2.0+/-1.2 ng/mL, P=0.004). Other metabolic features were not significantly different between the two groups.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of LADA is 4.3% among Korean adult patients with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes. The Korean LADA patients exhibited decreased insulin secretory capacity as reflected by lower C-peptide levels.

Keyword

Diabetes mellitus, type 1; Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Glutamate decarboxylase

MeSH Terms

Adult
C-Peptide
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
Fasting
Glucose
Glutamate Decarboxylase
Humans
Insulin
Korea
Plasma
Prevalence
Selection Bias
C-Peptide
Glucose
Glutamate Decarboxylase
Insulin

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The prevalence of glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GADAb)-positivity per age group. GADAb was found in 9% to 10% of patients in their 20s or 30s, whereas it was identified in less than 5% of patients older than 40 years.

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