Type 1 diabetes mellitus

The majority of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) cases are believed to arise from an inflammatory, autoimmune attack against the beta cells in the pancreas, which consequently leads to the failure of insulin-mediated blood glucose regulation in the body. T1DM signs and symptoms can come on quickly and may include increased thirst and frequent urination, fatigue, weight loss and so on. It is recognized that both genetic and environmental determinants are important in defining disease risk. The HLA class II genes are most strongly associated with T1DM. Another plausible candidate genes are INS, CTLA4 and PTPN22. The disease may be a result of variations in several susceptibility genes, with the majority only contributing weak effects.