Mette Andersen - Phenotypic and genetic characterization of patients with LADA

Around 3-10% of patients clinically diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D) have circulating autoantibodies as seen in type 1 diabetes (T1D). This diabetic subtype is termed latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), and it is the second most common type of diabetes only exceeded in numbers by T2D. Despite the prevalence, LADA is far less studied than its more renowned counterparts T1D and T2D.

Therefore, I aim to improve the phenotypic and genetic characterization of LADA. To distinguish the LADA phenotype from T1D and T2D, I will assess the clinical consequences of autoantibodies in newly diagnosed T2D patients as well as in initially non-diabetic individuals followed prospectively, and assess the prevalence and phenotypic implications of inflammatory markers in LADA patients. Moreover, in well powered genetic studies, I will assess to what degree LADA shares genetic predisposition with T1D and T2D, and whether LADA has its own set of susceptibility gene variants.

The outcome of the project may improve the diagnostic characterization of LADA, improve its separation from T1D and T2D, and serve as basis for development of better screening and treatment schemes for patients with LADA, who constitute a large and often overlooked patient group.