If you find out that someone in your family, especially a young child, has diabetes, you feel a lot of fear and shock, don't you? You have to inject insulin every day, control your diet, and constantly check your blood sugar... We all know how difficult it is to live with things like this. But, in the case of Type 1 Diabetes, there is now a new treatment that can delay the onset of symptoms by several years, that is, delay the onset of symptoms, would you believe it? Yes, today we are talking about that new hope.
First, let's see, what is Type 1 Diabetes?
When it comes to diabetes, most people in our country know about Type 2 diabetes. It is often caused by older people and unhealthy lifestyles. But Type 1 diabetes is different.
Simply put, our body has an organ called the pancreas. It is the special cells in this pancreas that produce the essential hormone called insulin . The function of insulin is to help the body's cells take the sugar (glucose) that is added to the blood from the food we eat and use it to make energy. It's like opening a door with a key.
In type 1 diabetes, our body's own immune system mistakenly destroys the good cells that make insulin. Then the body does not produce the insulin it needs. So, the blood sugar level rises uncontrollably. This is called type 1 diabetes. This is a condition that cannot be cured and requires daily insulin injections for life.
Why does this happen? How the body heals itself
Imagine the devastation that would result if our country's army mistakenly attacked innocent people in our own country. That's what happens with type 1 diabetes. The "army" that protects our body from disease, the immune system , goes haywire for some reason and starts destroying the insulin-producing cells in our own pancreas, thinking they are "enemies." We call these diseases in which the body attacks itself autoimmune diseases .
This does not happen all at once. This destruction occurs slowly, over several stages. Often, by the time symptoms appear, most of the insulin-producing cells have already been destroyed.
The three stages of the disease (Stages of T1D)
The development of type 1 diabetes can be clearly divided into three stages. This will be easier for you to understand if you look at a table.
| Stage | What Happens | Symptoms and blood sugar levels |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | The immune system begins to attack the cells that make insulin, but enough insulin is still produced. | There are no symptoms. Blood sugar levels are normal. |
| Stage 2 | As cell destruction continues, insulin production decreases, making it harder for the body to control blood sugar levels. | There are no obvious symptoms yet. But the blood sugar level is elevated (abnormal). This can be detected with special tests. |
| Stage 3 | A large number of the cells that produce insulin are destroyed, making it impossible for the body to control its sugar levels. | Obvious symptoms appear. Frequent urination, excessive thirst, hunger, weight loss, and extreme fatigue become apparent. The disease is usually diagnosed at this stage. |
New hope: Teplizumab (Tzield) drug
This new treatment mentioned earlier can be given to those who are in stage 2, that is, before symptoms appear, but whose blood sugar is high. The name of this drug is Teplizumab (Tzield) .
What happens with this medicine?
This is like a peacemaker. This drug affects our immune system. It weakens the "soldiers" who are behaving badly and trying to destroy the insulin-producing cells. Then those cells have less ability to damage the pancreas. As a result, the remaining good cells are protected for a while longer and continue to produce the insulin that the body needs.
How long can the disease be delayed?
As medical tests have shown, this treatment has been able to delay the progression to stage 3, the stage where symptoms appear, by an average of about two years . In some people, it can be delayed even longer.
What is the real value of delaying the disease?
You might think, "It's only two years, what's the point?" But that time is so precious, especially in a child's life.
- Freedom from the daily burden: You can live a normal life for another two years without having to inject insulin every day, prick your finger to check your blood sugar, or worry about food.
- Mental well-being: For a child or young person, this time to be free with their friends, without the stress of saying "I have diabetes," is very valuable.
- Physical development: During this symptom-free period, the child's physical and mental development occurs normally without interruption.
- Time to prepare: Even though the disease is inevitable, the family has time to face it, learn about it, and prepare mentally and practically.
- Delaying complications: This also delays the onset of long-term complications (eye, kidney, and nerve damage) that can occur due to diabetes.
Who is this treatment suitable for and what to know
This is not a treatment that can be given to everyone. This drug is currently approved for:
- For those over 8 years old .
- For those in stage 2 of type 1 diabetes.
This does not cure the disease completely. It only delays the onset of symptoms. Also, to receive this treatment, a person must be confirmed through special blood tests whether they are in the risk group or in stage 2.
If you think you or your child may be at risk for type 1 diabetes (for example, if someone in your family has type 1 diabetes), it's best to talk to your doctor about this. He or she can do the necessary tests and decide whether this type of treatment is right for you. This is another step forward in the world of technology.
Take-Home Message
- Type 1 Diabetes is a condition in which the body's immune system destroys its own insulin-producing cells.
- This disease does not appear all at once; it develops in several stages. Symptoms appear in the 3rd stage.
- A new drug called Teplizumab (Tzield) can delay the onset of symptoms by about two years in people with stage 2 disease.
- This time provides the patient with valuable "free time" both mentally and physically.
- If you suspect that you or someone in your family is at risk for type 1 diabetes, it is very important to talk to your doctor about it.
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