Type 1 diabetes (T1D) affects 1.93 in 1000 youth in the USA. Over the last 40 years, a combination of genetic and immunological markers has been developed allowing for the accurate prediction of progression to T1D. Despite our abilities to predict disease and the marked improvement in our understanding of the natural history of T1D, therapies capable of preventing or reversing T1D remain elusive. This article will review recent and ongoing efforts to understand the causes of T1D and related efforts to study potential therapies aimed at preventing T1D.
Keywords: Antigen-specific therapy; Natural history; Non-antigen-specific therapy; Prevention; Type 1 diabetes.