Type 1 diabetes is two different conditions: Study

Type 1 diabetes is t one but two separate conditions, according to researchers who found that children diagsed under of seven have a different form of condition compared with those d 13 or above.

research may prove to be a significant step towards finding a cure for some diabetic people, according to researchers from University of Exeter in UK.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when body's immune system attacks cells that produce hormone insulin in pancreas, destroying m. This means y longer regulate blood sugar levels effectively and people affected by condition must inject insulin several times a day to do this job.

research, published in journal Diabetologia, shows for first time that children who were diagsed under 7 years old do t process insulin properly, and cells that make it are quickly destroyed. Those who are older at diagsis d 13 or over often continue to produce rmal insulin, according to researchers.

findings reignite important questions about wher se "dormant" insulin-producing cells could be strengned to work more effectively, researchers said. y have suggested new names for two distinct forms or endotypes: Type 1 Diabetes Endotype 1 (T1DE1) for that diagsed in youngest children, and Type 1 Diabetes Endotype 2 (T1DE2) for those who are older at diagsis.

"We're extremely excited to find evidence that type 1 diabetes is two separate conditions: T1DE1 and T1DE 2," Professor el Morgan, from University of Exeter Medical School said. " significance of this (finding) could be ermous in helping us to understand what causes illness, and in unlocking avenues to prevent future generations of children from getting type 1 diabetes," Morgan said.

researchers explained that finding may also lead to new treatments, if y can find ways to reactivate dormant insulin-producing cells in older group. "This would be a significant step towards holy grail to find a cure for some people," Morgan said.

researchers propose that children diagsed between s of seven and 12 could fall into eir T1DE 1 or T1DE2 group. y are w working on more precise ways to define which type of diabetes such children have by studying small amounts of insulin released into ir blood.

team reached ir conclusions by analysing two bioresources including Exeter pancreatic biobank comprising more than 130 samples, many of which come from children and young people who died soon after being diagsed with type 1 diabetes. researchers also studied wher differences seen in pancreas are mirrored in blood of people diagsed with type 1 diabetes at increasing s.

"Our research could have a significant impact on current emerging rapies for type 1 diabetes," said Sarah Richardson, Associate Professor at University of Exeter Medical School.

"We're seeing a lot of promise in immurapies which can slow disease progression, but so far that hasn't translated into effective new treatments. It could be that we need to focus on use of different rapies in each group, for se to be effective," Richardson said.

READ: More Than $700K To Go Toward Type 1 Diabetes Research