Ica

Islet cell antibodies (ICA) are organ-specific antibodies of the IgG class that react with all pancreatic endocrine cells. Target antigens are glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) and tyrosine phosphatase (IA2). Prevalence at first diagnosis: 60-90

ICA is detected in 60-90% of sera from freshly manifested diabetics. They are found in 10% of patients with gestational diabetes and 2-6% of first-degree relatives of type 1 diabetics (compared to 0.2-3.5% in healthy individuals). Elevated ICA titers have been identified as predictors of diabetes in risk collectives. Islet cell antibodies are often the first initial beta cell Ac and can be detected many years before manifestation of diabetes mellitus.

However, the value of islet cell Ac is increasingly underestimated compared to other beta cell antibodies.

Combined with the simultaneous detection of other type 1 diabetes mellitus specific autoantibodies (GAD, insulin, IA2), the number of positive antibody detections can be used to assess the risk of developing type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Indication: Type I diabetes mellitus, differentiation from late-manifested LADA diabetes (latent autoimmune diabetes in adults).