Is insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus an autoimmune disorder?

Current evidence suggests that insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is most likely a slowly progressive autoimmune disorder. More than 90% of Caucasian IDDM patients have DR3 and/or DR4, the HLA region linked to immune response. At onset of disease, most IDDM patients have islet-cell antibodies, more immune-associated T lymphocytes and anti-insulin antibodies. Most IDDM patients who died within six months of diagnosis had insulitis: an infiltration of mononuclear cells (mostly activated T cells) around the pancreatic islets. Immunosuppression therapy may be effective in inducing remission in newly diagnosed IDDM patients.