[Immunoenzyme detection of autoantibodies to the surface of pancreatic islet cells in diabetes mellitus and in increased risk of its development].

The authors described the use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to determine islet cell surface antibodies (ICSA) in persons at high risk of developing insulin dependent diabetes (IDD) and different types of manifest disease. Among I degree healthy relatives of probands with IDD antibodies were detected in 16%. In disorder of the oral GTT (a small group) ICSA were found in 57% of examinees. In the group of IDD patients which was heterogeneous in duration of disease and age at its onset, the frequency of ICSA was 38%. The least frequency (10%) of antibodies was observed in patients with non-insulin dependent (NIDD) compensated by a diet and oral hypoglycaemic drugs. Among non-compensated NIDD patients 62% were ICSA-positive. Thus, ICSA determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, could be employed as a marker of autoimmune damage of the insular apparatus for prognosis of the development of "primary" and "secondary" insulin dependence.