Study across 8 European countries demonstrates feasibility of screening children for type 1 diabetes
New research presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept. 28–Oct. 2), reports on pilot screening programs for type 1 diabetes in eight countries. The authors—a consortium including Dr. Peter Achenbach and professor Anette-Gabriele Ziegler from the Institute of Diabetes Research, Helmholtz Munich, Munich, Germany—say that…
A major study across eight European countries has demonstrated the practicality of conducting screenings for type 1 diabetes in children. Conducted by the EDENT1FI consortium, including experts Dr. Peter Achenbach and Professor Anette-Gabriele Ziegler, the research was presented at the annual European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) meeting in Milan, Italy.
The study recommends implementing three screening windows: ages 2-4, 6-8, and 10-15, to detect presymptomatic stages of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Early detection is crucial as it enables preventive and disease-modifying strategies, such as teplizumab, which are already available or in development. The EDENT1FI initiative, coordinated by Professor Chantal Mathieu and Professor Ziegler, used a common protocol to screen for islet autoantibodies across participating centers in eight countries.
The study found that 219 out of 140,568 children screened (0.32%, or about 1 in 350) had early-stage T1D, with prevalence ranging from 0.22% in Germany to 0.47% in Sweden. No cases were detected in Italian children with a first-degree relative with T1D. The research supports the feasibility of population screening for T1D across various health systems, paving the way for standard medical care integration and further research.
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