ABSTRACT
The prevalence of GAD antibodies and its correlation with some autoimmune markers: ICA [islet cells antibodies]. Antinuclear antibodies, thyroid antithymune and antimicrosomes antibodies., were studied in 84 Tunisian type 1 diabetic children. The prevalence of GAD antibodies was 51.2% and decreased as a function of increasing duration of the disease. Their frequency was 84.6% in children with newly diagnosed diabetes [within 6 months of diagnosis] and only 29.41% in those with a longer duration of the diabetes [more than 5 years]. ICA were present less frequently [21.4% of the children]. 10.7% of the studied samples were positive with the two antibodies [GAD ab ICA], and 40% were positive only with GAD antibodies. We conclude that the GAD antibodies seems to be more associated to the development of type 1 diabetes than ICA. They are detected more frequently in patients with long standing disease, that's make their determination very interesting as diagnostic and predictive marker