Diabetes Dialogue: Screening for Presymptomatic T1D with Rifka Schulman-Rosenbaum, MD

In this episode of Diabetes Dialogue, hosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, an endocrine clinical pharmacist, director of Education and Training in Diabetes Technology, and codirector of Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy at the Cleveland Clinic, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, program director of Diabetes Technology at University Hospitals Diabetes and Metabolic Care Center, are joined by Rifka Schulman-Rosenbaum, MD, director of inpatient diabetes at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and co-author of Establishing Screening Programs for Pre-symptomatic Type 1 Diabetes: Practical Guidance for Diabetes Care Providers, a new paper in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. With Bellini as a co-author of the piece, experts explored the increasing clinical and operational momentum behind screening for pre-symptomatic type 1 diabetes (T1D) and what it takes to implement effective programs in real-world settings. The conversation centers on the rationale and logistics behind identifying individuals in stages 1 and 2 of T1D—autoimmune stages characterized by multiple islet autoantibodies before clinical onset. With the availability of teplizumab (Tzield), a disease-modifying therapy shown to delay progression to stage 3 of T1D, the importance of early detection and standardized screening protocols has become more urgent. Schulman-Rosenbaum outlined how her work on the JDRF Breakthrough T1D initiative led to the development of actionable guidance aimed at frontline diabetes care providers. She highlights barriers to implementation—such as limited provider awareness of T1D staging and screening protocols—and details her institution’s ongoing efforts to educate primary care clinicians and endocrinologists, including distributing screening handouts and creating streamlined workflows using dot phrases and dedicated follow-up slots. The discussion emphasizes targeted screening for high-risk groups, such as first- and second-degree relatives of individuals with T1D and patients with autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s or celiac. Schulman-Rosenbaum emphasized the opportunity for endocrinologists to screen these patients directly during routine care and the utility of a centralized handout to guide test ordering and family engagement. Drawing from their paper, experts outlined practical steps for launching autoantibody screening programs: nominating a program champion, forming an implementation team, and embedding screening into existing clinical systems. Experts stressed the importance of using appropriate ICD-10 codes for insurance coverage and referenced a diagnostic coding table in their publication. Schulman-Rosenbaum also addressed the widespread issue of misdiagnosis, particularly in adults mistakenly classified as having type 2 diabetes, and outlines best practices for using antibody and C-peptide testing to refine diagnosis. She detailed her hospital’s approach to inpatient screening, noting an increased use of autoantibody testing and follow-up coordination for patients with suspected T1D or latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). Finally, the episode highlighted how to monitor individuals who test positive for a single antibody or exhibit mild dysglycemia, noting that many fall outside established risk categories. Experts called for more research in this area and advocate for individualized monitoring strategies based on clinical risk, family history, and emerging glucose patterns—often using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data. Relevant disclosures for Isaacs include Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Abbott Diabetes Care, Dexcom, Medtronic, and others. Relevant disclosures for Bellini include Abbott Diabetes Care, MannKind, Provention Bio, and others. Key Episode Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:18 Inspiration Behind the Paper 00:04:12 Challenges in Implementing T1D Screening 00:07:32 Educating Providers and Overcoming Barriers 00:09:32 Addressing Misdiagnosis of Diabetes 00:12:01 Inpatient Screening Practices 00:16:13 Support and Resources for Patients with Positive Antibodies 00:20:01 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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