Islet-cell antibodies and beta-cell function in insulin-dependent diabetics.

Residual insulin secretion and islet-cell antibodies were studied in 399 insulin-dependent diabetics with age at onset of between 10--19.9 years (248 patients) or 30--39.9 years (151 patients). We found the prevalence of islet-cell antibodies to be independent of residual beta-cell function as measured by serum C-peptide and age at onset. The cause and role of the persistence of islet-cell antibodies in insulin-dependent diabetics remain obscure.