KSU Launches “Early Screening for Type 1 Diabetes in Children” Program

The University Diabetes Center at KSUMC launched the “Early Screening for Type 1 Diabetes in Children” program, which is the first in the Arab world, under the supervision of the medical research team led by Dr. Reem Al-Khalifa, Dr. Iman Al-Qadi, Prof. Yazid Al-Ratha’i, and the center team.

Dr. Reem Al-Khalifa, Endocrinology and Diabetes Consultant and Associate Professor at KSU, stated that the program aims to detect type 1 diabetes in its early stages years before clinical symptoms appear. This involves taking a finger-prick sample to detect the presence of pancreatic antibodies and genetic markers in children aged 2 to 18 years who have a first-degree relative with type 1 diabetes. She indicated that early detection helps in reducing the serious symptoms of this disease and reducing hospitalization due to ketoacidosis. She further added that the program will also help improve long-term cumulative rate and diabetes care opportunities.

The director of the center, Dr. Muhammad Mujmami, Adult Endocrinology and Diabetes Consultant and Associate Professor at KSU, pointed out that the program comes as part of ongoing efforts to combat diabetes, which is among the most common diseases in the world and the number of diabetics reached alarming levels in the Arab world.

Dr. Iman Al-Qadi, Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Consultant and Assistant Professor at KSU, explained that there are many types of diabetes and the most common of which are type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes can affect people at any age, but it usually affects children or young people where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, which are called beta cells and this requires the patient with this type of diabetes to inject insulin daily for life to control blood sugar levels. Noting that there is currently no effective treatment or preventive measure to prevent this type of diabetes, treatment with insulin is necessary for the lives of people with type 1 diabetes. She also stressed that there is promising progress in the field of immunotherapy where the destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells can be delayed, thus delaying the onset of diabetes. In addition, researchers are seeking to develop artificial pancreas systems to simplify insulin delivery and improve blood sugar control. As for type 2 diabetes, it affects adults especially those with a family history of diabetes and it can also be caused by obesity, and following an unhealthy diet and not exercising.