Mody diabetes or “mature-onset diabetes in young people” is a rare type of diabetes that runs in the family. It is not as common as type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
In this article, we will discuss what mody is, the most common symptoms, the different types of mody and its treatment options, and long-term complications.
What is Mody Diabetes?
It is similar to both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but the biggest difference is that it is a genetically inherited form of the disease.
Research from Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity: targets and therapy (DMSO) Journal estimates that Mody only accounts for 1-2% of diabetic cases and is almost always misdiagnosed as either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
“It is often difficult to distinguish Mody from these two forms,” explains this study because Mody’s attributes include important aspects of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Mody resembles type 1 diabetes in the body’s struggle to produce enough insulin, often occurring in adolescence or early adulthood.
“Mody is the dominant genetic state, meaning that those who inherit one copy of the gene mutation that causes Mody from either the mother or father are affected,” explains Harvard Health Publishing (HHP).
Type 1 diabetes can be seen in multiple families, but it can only be seen in more cases 1. On the other hand, most of the Modys are everytime It can be seen in multiple families and continues to be passed down to future generations.
“As affected people are also 50% likely to pass the genetic mutation to their respective children,” adds HHP.
Mody, on the other hand, is usually not treated with insulin first. This appears to be more similar to type 2 diabetes.
Mody is not closely related to weight or obesity, but it has been studied that obese people with undiagnosed Mody gene mutations can develop conditions earlier in life compared to someone with a healthier weight.
Symptoms and characteristics
At first, most types of Mody will look like type 1 or type 2 diabetes, as higher blood sugar levels cause the same symptoms.
Similar to type 2 diabetes, these symptoms usually develop gradually over several months and months. Therefore, they are often diagnosed without being noticed for a long time, or only during daily blood collection.
A study in the DMSO Journal found that Mody people often have one or more of the following features:
- Family with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes
- Do not need insulin or use very small doses
- Lack of insulin resistance
- Do not test positive for pancreatic antigen autoantibodies
- Can produce endogenous insulin (your own insulin)
- If insulin is omitted even after 5 years of diagnosis, it will not produce ketones
- Not obese, you’re overweight
- Have normal triglyceride levels and high HDL (good) cholesterol
- No signs of nigricans of acanthosis (darker skin, under the armpits, etc.)
Obese people can develop Mody, but in this case it is particularly difficult to distinguish type 2 diabetes from Mody. Can you identify if an obese person has Mody or Type 2 diabetes?
“This type of test can be determined to determine the exact type of mody and can be performed before the patient has symptoms,” explains HHP. “If one mutation in the MODY gene is found, type 1 or type 2 diabetes can be ruled out.”
How is it diagnosed?
Mody can cause a variety of symptoms (or there are no symptoms at all), so the only way to diagnose it is through a blood test. If you have high blood sugar levels, the next step is to know which type of diabetes you are.
Your doctor should ask about a family history of diabetes to determine if you may have Mody and suggest genetic tests to confirm your diagnosis. Doctors will take samples of DNA from saliva or blood and send it to a lab looking for changes in the genes that could cause the condition.
11 Modys and Typical Treatment Options
What really sets Mody apart from other forms of diabetes is the 11 different genes that greatly affect how the disease manifests itself and how it is treated.
Of these 11 known types, there are four genes that primarily describe most of these types. British Diabetes Association (TBDA).
Most types of mody are expected to get worse over time, gradually increasing the amount of drugs, and ultimately some people need insulin.
Let’s take a closer look.
Mody 1, 3, 4 (HNF1-ALPHA gene)
“This gene causes about 70% of Mody cases,” explains TBDA. “Diabetes is caused by reducing the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas,” which usually occurs before the age of 25.
Mody 1, 3, and 4 are generally managed by taking sulfonyrus, a category of diabetic drugs that help increase the amount of insulin the pancreas produces.
Mody 2
Mody 2 can often be treated through dietary changes and ensure regular exercise. This type of mody is usually not exacerbated or requires further treatment.
Mody 5
Mody 5 usually involves other medical problems, except for hyperglycemia levels. For example, the kidneys are significantly more damaged than the pancreas.
Mody 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 (including hnf4-alpha)
The HNF4 gene does not explain all types of Mody 7-11, but is one of the most understood types in this rare group.
“The HNF4-alpha gene is less common than other forms of Mody,” explains TBDA.
Mody 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are thought to have been discovered recently, but current research and understanding of these types means that they can be managed similarly with a combination of diet, exercise and sulfonylurea.
“People who inherited this genetic alteration could have had a birth weight of more than nine pounds.”
People with this gene experienced significantly lower blood sugar shortly after birth, which required treatment beyond breast milk.
Some people who carry this gene will need to ultimately take an insulin injection.
hnf1-beta (female urogenital organs/kidney mody)
This type of modi has a significant impact on women, and instead focusing on pancreatic function, it first impairs kidney function.
“People with this type of mody have a variety of problems, including kidney cysts (renal cysts), uterine abnormalities, gout, diabetes and more,” explains TBDA.
“In many cases, renal cysts can be detected in the uterus before the baby is born.”
This rarer type of Mody usually does not require insulin injections along with healthy diet, regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight.
Glucokinase Modi
This type is different from the majority because it is not a result of too little insulin. Instead, if this glucokinase gene mutates and stops functioning properly, your body will not recognize it above normal blood sugar levels.
“Blood glucose levels in people with glucokinase mody are usually only slightly higher than normal, typically 99-144 mg/dL,” explains TBDA.
Blood glucose levels in people with this type of mody do not rise so high that they cause significant symptoms, so they are only discovered and diagnosed by chance during pregnancy.
This type of Mody treatment plan is simply to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight.
complications
Like all types of diabetes, Mody, if not managed, is accompanied by the general consequences and complications of persistent hyperglycemia.
- Retinopathy (diabetic eye disease)
- Nephropathy (diabetic kidney disease)
- Neurological disorders (nerve damage to fingers, toes, hands, feet, and feet)
- Skin condition
- Blindness (due to retinopathy)
- Amputation (due to neurological disorders)
- Renal failure (due to nephropathy)
- Heart attack
- Heart disease
- stroke
Overall, Mody’s management, like all other types of diabetes, calls for similar guidelines on nutrition and exercise. And for some people, additional medications that include insulin may be required.
You can still live a very complete life with Mody!
