Real-life stories from people living with autoimmune T1D

Aïcha, a 53-year-old mother of three teenagers, was diagnosed with autoimmune T1D in her late 40s. The condition was not unfamiliar to her, as her sister had been diagnosed with it many years earlier at age 12. Aïcha's journey with autoimmune T1D continued with her twin boys also having the condition, while her daughter, thankfully, screened negative, offering some much-needed relief.

It’s important to recognise that people, like Aïcha, who have a first-degree relative with autoimmune T1D, have up to 15x higher risk of developing the condition compared to the general population.⁴ Proactively screening for autoimmune T1D in those with a known family history of the condition allows you to detect it before symptoms arise.*^5–7

A licensed clinical psychologist and part of the diabetes care team at Stanford University, Korey lives with autoimmune T1D, alongside coeliac disease and an autoimmune thyroid condition. His diagnoses have resulted in dietary restrictions that can make social gatherings tricky. Familiar with the lifestyle adaptations needed for life with autoimmune T1D, Korey is a keen advocate for screening and has already had his eldest tested for the condition.

People like Korey demonstrate the high degree of co-occurrence between autoimmune T1D and other autoimmune conditions. Of those living with autoimmune T1D, up to 9% also have coeliac disease, and up to 30% also have autoimmune thyroid conditions.^8,9 Understanding the genetic link between certain autoimmune conditions can help you identify which patients to screen as a priority.

In a retrospective US study, ~40% of adults with autoimmune T1D were initially misdiagnosed with another condition, with 77% of these cases being misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes.^‡11 Misdiagnosis can delay proper insulin replacement therapy, resulting in prolonged hyperglycaemia and increasing the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).¹¹ This underpins the importance of considering autoimmune T1D in certain individuals suspected as presenting with type 2 diabetes.

Healthcare professionals like you, who understand the importance of proactive screening, can transform the lives of those with autoimmune T1D. By detecting the condition before symptoms appear, you can help protect more people from the potential dangers of a later diagnosis.^5–7,12,13