March 31, 2000
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Lyndhurst, New Jersey, USA:
My 13 year old son was diagnosed with Type 1 several months ago. His antibody test came back positive. If he had another antibody test done, will it be positive again? No ketones were found. Also is there a test to show how much of your pancreas is still putting out insulin? He is only taking 10 units of NPH a day.
Answer:
A second test at this time will almost certainly also be positive, and there should be no need to repeat it. In a few years time when any remaining active insulin producing cells are likely to have been destroyed, your son’s test may again be negative. An insulin tolerance test in which blood insulin levels are measured 2 and 5 minutes after an intravenous dose of glucose is the best measure of residual insulin capacity; but it is a somewhat complicated test and not really necessary in these circumstances.
DOB
