Development of autoantibodies is predictive of the onset oftype 1 diabetes and measurement of autoantibodies is crucial for the early detection of the autoimmune disease process. Further autoantibody measurements will assist in typology studies among various types of childhood diabetes. Antibodies include those to IA-2, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD6s), and insulin antigens. Autoantibody assays are complex and require sophisticated molecular techniques. Although much progress has been made in this area, the Immunology of Diabetes Society has emphasized that these tests do not agree well among laboratories.
