OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) and to study the positivity of glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibody (GADA) in diabetic patients with MS. METHODS: Sera of 598 patients with an initial diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) were screened for GADA with radioligand assay. These patients were divided into LADA and T2DM groups according to the titers of GADA to compare the prevalence of MS; the proportions of LADA in diabetic patients with and without MS were studied. We also compared the clinical characteristics of LADA patients with and without MS. RESULTS: About 23.7% of the LADA patients had MS. In patients with MS, the prevalence of LADA was 10.0%, of which approximately 95% had low GADA titers, that was, belonging to LADA-type 2. Compared with LADA patients with MS, LADA without MS were similar to classical type 1 diabetes and had features of low body weight, tendency to develop ketosis and impaired islet cell function. CONCLUSION: About 23.7% patients with MS are found in LADA patients. The GADA levels in LADA patients with and without MS are significantly different, which may need different therapeutic strategies.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) and to study the positivity of glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibody (GADA) in diabeticpatients with MS. METHODS: Sera of 598 patients with an initial diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) were screened for GADA with radioligand assay. These patients were divided into LADA and T2DM groups according to the titers of GADA to compare the prevalence of MS; the proportions of LADA in diabeticpatients with and without MS were studied. We also compared the clinical characteristics of LADA patients with and without MS. RESULTS: About 23.7% of the LADA patients had MS. In patients with MS, the prevalence of LADA was 10.0%, of which approximately 95% had low GADA titers, that was, belonging to LADA-type 2. Compared with LADA patients with MS, LADA without MS were similar to classical type 1 diabetes and had features of low body weight, tendency to develop ketosis and impaired islet cell function. CONCLUSION: About 23.7% patients with MS are found in LADA patients. The GADA levels in LADA patients with and without MS are significantly different, which may need different therapeutic strategies.