[Clinical picture of slow-evolving insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus]("1 1/2")]

The authors investigated the difficulties of differential diagnosis in diabetes, beginning in young age. They analysed the case records of fifteen young diabetics. The authors pointed out, that clinical diagnosis, carried out early, has utmost importance both of theoretical and practical significance, for correct classification according to the type of diabetes determines the therapy. In building the diagnosis, the clinician needs correct anamnestical, clinical data, immunogenetic markers (ICA, HLA), and the capacity of endogenous insulin secretion as well. In three patients they have observed a long period without insulin treatment that could be classified as remission phase. In eleven cases the treatment has started with oral antidiabetic drugs, one patient has got at he very beginning insulin treatment. At present, there is only one patient, still taking oral drugs. This diabetics has an ICA positivity in high titer, but he is refusing the recommended exogenous insulin treatment. In all of their cases the amount of injected daily insulin is low (0.3-0.6 IU/body weight/24 hours). Authors state by their careful analysis, that in all of their 15 diabetics there is existing a slowly developing type I IDDM, I/b, or very recently 1 1/2 diabetes form. The so called autoimmune form--described originally by Bottazzo--could have been disclosed in all of their cases.