Interpretation

Seropositivity for 1 or more islet cell autoantibodies is supportive of:

-A diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Only 2% to 4% of patients with type 1 diabetes are antibody negative; 90% have more than 1 antibody marker, and 70% have 3 or 4 markers.(1) Patients with gestational diabetes who are antibody seropositive are at high risk for diabetes postpartum. Rarely, diabetic children test seronegative, which may indicate a diagnosis of maturity-onset diabetes of the young in clinically suspicious cases.

-A high risk for future development of diabetes. Among 44 first-degree relatives of patients with type 1 diabetes, those with 3 antibodies had a 70% risk of developing type 1 diabetes within 5 years.(2)

-A current or future need for insulin therapy in patients with diabetes. In the UK Prospective Diabetes Study, 84% of those classified clinically as having type 2 diabetes and seropositive for glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) required insulin within 6 years, compared to 14% that were antibody negative.(3)