The Natural History Study
The Natural History Study of the Development of Type 1 Diabetes will study people at increased risk for type 1 diabetes to learn more about how type 1 diabetes occurs.
TrialNet is screening close blood relatives of people with type 1 diabetes because relatives of people with type 1 diabetes have a 10 to 15 times greater risk for developing the disease than people with no family history.
New: Natural History participant brochure
TrialNet is conducting the Natural History Study in three phases:
- Phase 1: Screening
- Phase 2: Baseline Risk Assessment
- Phase 3: Follow-Up Risk Assessment
- Phase 1: Screening
- What is the purpose of these screening tests?
- We will send you a letter if the test shows that you do not have autoantibodies (negative result)
- If you have autoantibodies in your blood, (positive result) we will call you to discuss your results
- Phase 2: Baseline Risk Assessment
- Phase 3: Follow-Up Risk Assessment
- What do I do to begin the screening process?
Phase 1: Screening
The screening phase of the Natural History Study identifies people at increased risk for developing type 1 diabetes.
People who qualify and choose to participate in the Natural History Study may also be offered an opportunity to enter a diabetes prevention study in the future.
To be screened, you must fulfill at least one of the two conditions below:
- 1 to 45 years of age and have a brother, sister, child, or parent with type 1 diabetes
- 1 to 20 years of age and have a cousin, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, half sibling, or grandparent with type 1 diabetes
What is the purpose of these screening tests?
The first screening test looks for autoantibodies associated with type 1 diabetes in your blood. Autoantibodies are proteins made by the immune system.
Autoantibodies are a sign that your immune system may be attacking the insulin- producing cells in your pancreas. Having these autoantibodies places you at greater risk for developing diabetes.
About 3 to 4 percent of family members of people with type 1 diabetes will have autoantibodies in their blood.
To do this screening test, a small sample of blood is drawn from your arm at a TrialNet clinic or you can ask us to send you a test kit that you can take to a local lab or your own doctor to have your blood drawn. Then the blood sample is sent to the TrialNet central laboratory for analysis.
In 4 to 6 weeks, you will learn your test results.
We will send you a letter if the test shows that you do not have autoantibodies (negative result).
Testing negative for autoantibodies doesn't mean you will never get diabetes. It does mean that your chances for developing type 1 diabetes are lower than if you had autoantibodies. If you are under 18 years of age, you can have the blood test for autoantibodies every year.