
October 29, 2005
Research: Causes and Prevention, Research: Other Research
Question from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA:
My 14 year old daughter participated in TrialNet studies. Her 11 year old brother has had diabetes for almost three years. I am not sure exactly where the decimal point belongs in these values. Her GAD test was significantly positive (over 100–Normal was below 30) and her IAA test was slightly positive (.18– Normal below 0.1). I have read conflicting percentages on her risk of developing diabetes in the next 5 to 10 years. What is her risk? Should I even consider the IAA test since it was only 0.8 above the normal range?
Answer:
You should discuss this with the research study doctors since they will already have a protocol and know how best to interpret these results. If the antibody tests are positive, then the risk rises from a general 2% risk (siblings).
SB