What to Do If You Test Positive for Type 1 Diabetes Autoantibodies
Written by: Christine Fallabel
4 minute read
September 25, 2023
Don't panic if your type 1 diabetes autoantibody test is positive. Here's how you can take care of yourself and your health.
You took a proactive step by consulting your doctor and getting tested for islet autoantibodies. Now, what comes next? Depending on your results, you may not have positive autoantibodies for type 1 diabetes or you might have tested positive for one or more type 1 autoantibodies.
The antibodies for which these tests check are:
- Islet cell cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ICA)
- Glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GADA)
- Insulinoma-associated-2 autoantibodies (IA-2A)
- Insulin autoantibodies (IAA)
- Zinc transporter-8 autoantibodies (ZnT8A)
What does having type 1 diabetes autoantibodies mean?
- Positive type 1 diabetes autoantibodies indicate a moderate to extremely high risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
- Over 90 percent of people with new-onset type 1 diabetes will have at least one islet autoantibody.
- Always consult your doctor to interpret your test results and their significance.
Testing positive.
- If you test positive for a single diabetes autoantibody, further testing is needed.
- Having one doesn’t always mean you’ll develop type 1 diabetes.
- If you test positive for two or more autoantibodies, the risk of developing type 1 diabetes within 10 years jumps to 75 percent
- If you test positive for two or more diabetes autoantibodies, your lifetime risk of developing type 1 diabetes is nearly 100 percent.
Testing negative
- Testing negative for autoantibodies usually indicates a low risk for developing type 1 diabetes.
- Remember, autoantibody testing cannot diagnose type 1 diabetes
- If you test negative but have symptoms like frequent urination, extreme thirst, exhaustion, or unexplained weight loss, contact your doctor or seek emergency care
- Undiagnosed type 1 diabetes can be life-threatening.
Limitations of autoantibody testing
- Negative test results don’t fully rule out type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, especially if you have symptoms.
- Not everyone with a single autoantibody develops type 1 diabetes
- But most people with two or more autoantibodies eventually do.
- Autoantibody testing cannot monitor or diagnose type 1 diabetes.
What will your doctor do next?
- Once you and your doctor receive your results, they will probably want to order more tests to confirm the autoantibodies if needed, including:
- Fasting glucose test
- Oral glucose tolerance test
- A1C test
- C-peptide test
- Insulin assay test
- This can help them make a swift diagnosis of type 1 diabetes before severe symptoms and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) set in.
What do you do next?
- Take a deep breath.
- If you test positive for one autoantibody and have no symptoms, your risk for type 1 diabetes is low.
- Your doctor will monitor your blood sugar, and you should watch for symptoms.
- Retesting in a few months or years might be advised. If you test positive for two or more autoantibodies, your risk is higher.
- Keep an eye on symptoms and see your doctor regularly for blood sugar and A1C checks.
- Consider enrolling in a research study to identify early stages of type 1 diabetes, even years before symptoms appear.
- Enrolling also helps researchers study type 1 diabetes and find ways to prevent it.
Other things you could do include:
- Staying in close contact with your doctor for any updates or retesting
- Continue monitoring for symptoms of type 1 diabetes
- Educating yourself on the management of type 1 diabetes
- Assessing your health insurance options for testing or future treatments
Knowledge is power
- Getting tested for type 1 diabetes autoantibodies helps you make informed choices.
- It’s a crucial step to assess your risk and prevent a dangerous diagnosis of type 1 diabetes
- Especially if you test positive for two or more autoantibodies.
- If you are diagnosed, remember you’re not alone—there’s a supportive type 1 diabetes community ready to help you navigate your journey.
This content was made possible by Provention Bio, a Sanofi Company.
Editorial control rests solely with Beyond Type 1.
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