Abstract
Type 1 diabetes is chronic autoimmune process leading to progressive loss of beta cell of pancreatic islets. Initiating insult which activates the autoreactive T cells, their migration to the pancreatic islet and eventual destruction of beta cells is still unknown.
This process is marked by the production of islet autoantibodies. They are detectable before clinically significant hyperglycaemia and persistence after manifestation of type 1 diabetes.
The most important utility of autoantibody testing in routine clinical practice is the detection of different type of diabetes. The islet autoantibody testing allows prediction of type 1 diabetes.
They are able to select patients at increased risk of diabetes onset. Although it is useful for research, until therapies modulating the disease process become available, the benefit to routine clinical care is questionable.
This article reviews examined autoantibodies, their prognostic significance and utility in routine clinical practise.