Islet-Cell Antibodies and Beta-Cell Function in Monozygotic Triplets and Twins Initially Discordant for Type I Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Type I diabetes mellitus has until recently been considered a disease that has an acute onset and is characterized by the sudden appearance of metabolic abnormalities in previously "healthy" people. Recent studies have suggested that there is a latent period before the development of overt diabetes, during which islet-cell antibodies arc present.^{1 2 3 4} In an ongoing prospective study of "genetic prediabetes," conducted by one of us (J.S.S.) and co-workers at the Joslin Diabetes Center, a set of monozygotic triplets⁵ and a set of monozygotic twins initially discordant for Type I diabetes were identified. These patients were unique in that their beta-cell . . .