What is type 1.5 diabetes? How different it is from type 1 and type 2

Type 1.5 diabetes, also known as Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA), is a form of diabetes that shares characteristics with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, but it has distinct features that set it apart.

LADA is often described as a hybrid between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Like Type 1 diabetes, LADA involves an autoimmune attack on the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. However, unlike Type 1 diabetes, which typically manifests in childhood or adolescence, LADA usually develops in adults, often over the age of 30. This can make diagnosis challenging, as it may initially present with symptoms that resemble Type 2 diabetes.

Unlike Type 2 diabetes, which is primarily associated with insulin resistance and often linked to obesity and lifestyle factors, LADA progresses more rapidly to insulin dependency. Type 2 diabetes generally involves a gradual loss of insulin production over time, whereas LADA may lead to insulin deficiency more swiftly, necessitating insulin therapy sooner than is typical with Type 2 diabetes.

The autoimmune component of LADA makes it similar to Type 1 diabetes in terms of its underlying pathology, as both conditions involve the body's immune system attacking pancreatic beta cells. However, the slower onset of LADA, along with its initial response to oral medications before progressing to insulin dependence, differentiates it from Type 1 diabetes, which typically requires insulin therapy from diagnosis.