Early detection can help avoid diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and misdiagnosis, give your patients time to prepare, and enable a smoother transition to life with Stage 3 T1D
DKA
DKA is a medical emergency associated with high morbidity1
Prevalence of DKA at autoimmune T1D diagnosis is up to 70% across Europe and North America.1
DKA at diagnosis can have significant consequences over time, including:*2–6
Hospitalisation
Sustained negative effects
on glycaemic control
Neurocognitive impairments
Avoiding DKA at diagnosis is associated with better long-term glycaemic control.6,7 Early detection and monitoring of autoimmune T1D in children can:
Reduce rates of DKA by up to
85%†
preventing severe complications and reducing hospitalisation2,8
Facilitate prompt and effective glycaemic management9,10
Misdiagnosis
Autoantibody (AAb) testing can help to avoid a misdiagnosis of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) in adult patients with autoimmune T1D11
It can be difficult to distinguish between the initial symptoms of autoimmune T1D and symptoms of T2D; this often causes a misdiagnosis, particularly in adults.12
~40%
of adults with autoimmune T1D are initially misdiagnosed‡12
Of these, 77%
are misdiagnosed with T2D‡12
Misdiagnosis can delay timely insulin replacement therapy, resulting in prolonged hyperglycaemia and increased risk of DKA.12 Proactive AAb testing helps to determine whether abnormal glucose levels may be related to an autoimmune attack (T1D) or insulin resistance (T2D)11
Preparation time
Early detection offers preparation time and a smoother transition into life with symptomatic autoimmune T1D (Stage 3)2,13-16
Early detection of autoimmune T1D:
Creates a valuable window for proactive education and support2,13-16
Quality, individualised education for families with children diagnosed with Stage 1 or 2 TID improves quality of life and lowers parental stress at Stage 3§14
Facilitates access to treatment for eligible patients with early T1D (Stage 2)7,17
Offers the potential to delay progression to symptomatic disease (Stage 3)7,17
Transition to Stage 3 T1D
An abrupt stage 3 diagnosis can be challenging for the whole family18,19
Diabetes distress is linked to suboptimal self-management and higher HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) levels‖20
Early detection, coupled with
education and counselling, can ease the emotional burden and improve glycaemic control
at Stage 3 TID14–16
Children diagnosed with early TID
through early detection tend to have:
· lower HbA1c levels
· a lower risk of DKA
at Stage 3 TID vs those not identified before Stage 314
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Get in touchINDICATION: TZIELD is indicated to delay the onset of Stage 3 T1D in adult and paediatric patients 8 years of age and older with Stage 2 T1D.17
*Independent of other variables.
†In a public health screening programme that screened 90,632 children aged 2 to 5 years for autoimmune T1D islet AAbs in Bavaria, Germany. Of the 62 children with presymptomatic autoimmune T1D who developed Stage 3 T1D, two (3.2%) were diagnosed in the laboratory with mild or moderate DKA without clinical symptoms, while 60 (96.8%) did not have DKA.8
‡In a retrospective online survey of people with autoimmune T1D and caregivers of people with autoimmune T1D in the United States (US), a diagnosis of autoimmune T1D was missed in 38.6% (n=330/856) of those diagnosed at ≥18 years of age. Of those people, 76.8% (n=253/330) were initially diagnosed with T2D.12
§Qualitative studies reveal that while maternal anxiety levels initially spike after learning of their child's high-risk status, this anxiety typically subsides to normal levels within 4-12 months.16
‖Diabetes distress refers to emotional burden and stress resulting from the ongoing demands of managing diabetes daily.20
AAb, autoantibody; DKA, diabetic ketoacidosis; HbA1c, glycated haemoglobin; T1D, Type 1 diabetes; T2D, Type 2 diabetes; US, United States.
- Wolfsdorf JI, et al. Pediatr Diabetes. 2018; 19(Suppl 27): 155–177.
- Besser REJ, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2022; 107(9): 790–795.
- Tomic D, et al. Diabet Med. 2024; 41(1): e15218.
- Cameron FJ, et al. Diabetes Care. 2014; 37(6): 1554–1562.
- Ghetti S, et al. Diabetes Care. 2020; 43(11): 2768–2775.
- Duca LM, et al. Diabetes Care. 2017; 40(9): 1249–1255.
- Sims EK, et al. Diabetes. 2022; 71: 610–623.
- Ziegler AG, et al. JAMA. 2020; 323(4): 339–351.
- DiMeglio LA, et al. Lancet. 2018; 391(10138): 2449–2462.
- Veijola R, et al. Pediatr Diabetes. 2016; 17(Suppl 22): 25–30.
- Diabetes UK – Autoantibody testing can help to diagnose diabetes type correctly. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-us/news-and-views/starting-right-diabetes-diagnosis. Accessed June 2026.
- Muñoz C, et al. Clin Diabetes. 2019; 37(3): 276–281.
- Narendran P. Diabetologia. 2019; 62(1): 24–27.
- Hummel S, et al. Diabetologia. 2023; 66(9): 1633–1642.
- Moore DJ, et al. Int J Gen Med. 2024; 17: 3003–3014.
- Quinn LM, et al. Br J Gen Pract. 2023; 73(726): 36–39.
- TZIELD® (teplizumab) UK Summary of Product Characteristics.
- Jönsson L, et al. Scand J Caring Sci. 2015; 29(1): 126-135.
- Rikos N, et al. Nurs Rep. 2022; 12(3): 564-573.
- Diabetes and Emotional Health. Chapter 3: Diabetes Distress. Available at: https://professional.diabetes.org/sites/default/files/media/ada_mental_health_workbook_chapter_3.pdf. Accessed June 2026.
MAT-XU-2500760 (v2.0) | June 2026