test Details

Type 1 Diabetes, Latent Autoimmune Diabetes (LADA)

GAD means glutamic acid decarboxylase, an enzyme required by the pancreas to function normally. The antibodies that target the GAD enzymes are called GAD antibodies. Your immune system uses antibodies like the GAD to target microbial attacks.

However, sometimes the human body makes autoantibodies that tend to attack normal cells that aren’t harmful. It can result in an autoimmune disorder. A GAD 65 antibody totally detects whether the body produces a type of antibody that destroys its own GAD cells.

The GAD 65 antibody total is a simple blood test that doesn’t require any intense preparation or fasting. The presence of autoantibodies indicates type 1 diabetes. Around 75% of people with type 1 diabetes have GAD antibodies in their bodies. That is why a GAD 65 antibody total test is essential for diagnosis.

Much like type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes has also been rising in India. An increase of around 3-5% each year gets reported. In the northern region of the country, 6.5% of ongoing diabetes cases are of LADA.

LADA or latent autoimmune diabetes is a type of type 1 diabetes that develops later in life. Testing for GAD antibodies by GAD 65 antibody total blood test helps doctors diagnose LADA and provide appropriate treatment. The test also helps diagnose other endocrine disorders like thyroiditis, pernicious anaemia, etc.

In most cases, doctors recommend a GAD 65 antibodies test to individuals who have already been diagnosed with diabetes or have symptoms of diabetes like frequent urination, fatigue, weight loss, extended healing time for sores or cuts, excessive hunger or thirst, etc.

All these symptoms are usually due to high levels of sugar in the blood and lead to a diagnosis of diabetes. A GAD 65 antibodies blood test is mostly prescribed along with other similar tests to confirm the condition.

Other names of GAD 65 antibody total

• Anti-GAD 65 Test
• GAD Test

Why does the GAD-65 antibody total detect/measure and who is this prescribed for?

The GAD-65 antibody total detects the level of GAD antibodies present in the blood of an individual.

Doctors usually prescribe the GAD-65 antibody test to individuals who either have diabetes or have symptoms of diabetes. Some of these symptoms include:

• Frequent urination
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Weight Loss
• Long-lasting cuts and sores
• Excessive hunger or thirst
• Blurry vision
• Irritability

So, medical professionals suspecting that a person might have Type 1 diabetes often recommend this test. Autoimmunities cause type 1 diabetes and LADA. That is why it becomes vital to test the level of GAD antibodies in the body.

Additionally, doctors also prescribe a GAD 65 antibody total to individuals with symptoms of other diseases like thyroid disease (grave disease, hypothyroidism, thyroiditis), vitiligo, premature ovarian failure or pernicious anaemia. Some symptoms of these diseases include:

• Joint stiffness
• Hair loss
• Fatigue
• Goitre
• Dry skin
• Joint stiffness
• Unexplained weight gain

The GAD 65 antibody total results help your doctor chart out an effective course of treatment for your condition. In addition to prescribing medication, you might have to take up more tests as well.

Conducting a GAD 65 antibody test is crucial to confirm the level of GAD antibodies in the body. If the results come under 5 units/ml, it is considered normal. It indicates that they may not have Type 1 diabetes or LADA.

The GAD 65 test results above the range of 5 units/ml are considered abnormal and high-ranged. High levels of GAD 65 antibodies can be found in individuals with a high body mass index or BMI. They are expected to have a more swift progression towards requiring insulin and in all likelihood, the doctor might put them on insulin therapy.

Insulin therapy is critical for individuals who get diagnosed with LADA or type 1 diabetes. The therapy helps move blood sugar into other body tissues, where it gets used for energy. An extremely high value of GAD 65 antibodies can be 1000 units/ml.

If the doctor diagnoses autoimmune disorders like thyroid, pernicious anaemia or Addison disease, then they’d put you on medication for some time. Subsequently, you might be asked to take further tests as per your diagnosis.

A high level of GAD 65 can also result from stiff-person syndrome. It is a condition that causes progressive muscle spasms and rigidity.

Apart from GAD antibodies, doctors may also check for the presence of other antibodies in the body. The diagnosis of autoimmune diabetes gets confirmed by the presence of other autoantibodies.

The treatment of type 1 diabetes doesn’t target the autoimmune aspect. Instead, it focuses on treating the insulin shortage by providing the body with insulin from an external source. The complications that arise due to diabetes can be controlled by handling the blood sugar.

The results of a GAD 65 antibody total are based on the analysis of a blood sample. It is a simple blood test that doesn’t require much preparation.

Test Preparation

The GAD 65 antibody blood test is a simple blood test that doesn’t require much preparation. Unlike some other tests, the GAD 65 antibody total doesn’t require fasting. Your blood sample will be collected by a healthcare provider from the vein in your arm.

Test inclusions: What parameters are included?

The parameters of a GAD 65 antibody total examination are glutamic acid decarboxylase or GAD-65 antibodies. They belong to a group of diabetes-associated antibodies that instruct the immune system to demolish the insulin-producing pancreatic cells. When insulin production stops, diabetes tends to develop.

The GAD 65 antibody is also a biomarker of other autoimmune disorders like pernicious anaemia and thyroid disease.

How frequently should you take this test?

A random GAD 65 antibody total helps with the diagnosis of latent autoimmune diabetes. It belongs to the type 1 diabetes family that develops in individuals after a certain age. Additionally, the GAD 65 antibody total also serves as a marker of the proneness to other autoimmune diseases like thyroid disease, pernicious anaemia or Addison disease.

If the GAD 65 antibody total results confirm the diagnosis of diabetes, your doctor will prescribe appropriate medication to you. The test can be repeated after 5-6 months to check the level of GAD antibodies in the blood.