Get screened

Our study on early detection of type 1 diabetes is for immediate family members of someone living with type 1 diabetes.

Why screening is important

Get screened for your health

If a member of your family (father, mother, brother, sister, child) has type 1 diabetes, your risk of developing the disease during your lifetime is increased. Screening can therefore be beneficial to your health. Here are the main reasons why :

Prevents serious complications, such as diabetic ketoacidosis

Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when the body lacks insulin for a prolonged period of time, preventing it from using sugar as an energy source. The body must then draw heavily on its fat reserves, increasing the acidity of the blood. This imbalance is a medical emergency that, if left untreated, can be life-threatening.

May protect remaining insulin-producing cells in the pancreas

Early screening could reduce the risk of long-term complications from type 1 diabetes. When screening is positive, it allows for close monitoring and treatment to begin before blood sugar levels rise too high, which protects the remaining cells that produce insulin.

Avoids confusion between type 2 and type 1 diabetes at the time of diagnosis

In people who develop type 1 diabetes at a later age, screening would help avoid initial confusion with type 2 diabetes (a confusion that affects up to 40% of people), which most often occurs in adulthood. Identifying the correct type of diabetes ensures that the appropriate treatment can be started without delay.

Allows for gradual training in disease management

With adequate support from healthcare professionals and peers, a person who tests positive could prepare themselves to manage this complex disease.

Who can get screened

Criteria for participating in the study

This study is for you if you are a mother, father, child, brother, or sister of someone living with type 1 diabetes in Quebec.

Learn more

Aged between 18 and 65 years old

Not having been diagnosed with diabetes yourself, regardless of the type

Currently not pregnant or planning to become pregnant soon

Not taking an immunosuppressive treatments or immunoglobulins

The procedure

This research project involves several steps

If the screening test is negative (95% of cases), your participation will involve only one visit. If the screening test is positive, this study will involve up to 8 visits to the IRCM over a maximum period of 3 years.

First visit at the IRCM

Signing the consent form, medical examination, blood test including screening for antibodies for diabetes and other autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease, liver, kidney, cholesterol, etc. and completing questionnaires.

Communication of screening results

If the result is negative, an explanatory letter will be sent to you by mail or email. Your risk of developing type 1 diabetes in the future is low and similar to that of the general population. If the result is positive, a member of the team will contact you directly.

Confirmation and staging of a positive result

Two further visits will be scheduled at the IRCM to confirm the diagnosis and assess the stage of progression of type 1 diabetes.

Choice of follow-up

You can choose between continuing your positive screening follow-up at the IRCM (centralized follow-up) or with your primary care physician (decentralized follow-up).

Follow-up at the IRCM

If follow-up is carried out at the IRCM, visits will take place every 6 months for 3 years. During these visits, blood tests will be taken to assess the stage of the disease and its progression, other blood parameters will be measured, and questionnaires will be given to assess your lifestyle and your experience of screening.

Get screened

Screening location

Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM)

Located in Montreal at the corner of Des Pins Avenue West and St-Urbain Street, near the Sherbrooke and Place-des-Arts metro stations.

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

By appointment only

Screening location address: 120 Avenue des Pins W, Montreal, QC, H2W 1R7

Locate on Google Maps

Resources

Additional resources

Various resources are available about the screening process and type 1 diabetes. Scientific breakthroughs continue to occur in the field of diabetes.

The Support Project The BETTER project Diabetes Quebec Breakthrough DT1

Any questions?

Frequently asked questions

I am a relative of someone with type 1 diabetes, but I live outside of Montreal. Can I participate?

Yes, you can participate. If you decide to participate in the study, you agree to travel to the IRCM for all study visits. Only one visit is required if the screening test is negative.

How is screening carried out? What tests are performed?

The first visit lasts approximately 2 hours. The visit includes:

Signing the consent form
Completing questionnaires: Medical history, lifestyle, physical activity, diet, and mental health
Various measurements: weight, blood pressure, waist circumference, glycation products
Blood test: antibody testing for type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases, liver and kidney function tests, cholesterol, etc.

Is screening painful?

Among all the tests performed, the only one that causes discomfort is the blood draw. All other tests should not cause any pain.

If my screening test is negative, should I repeat it?

If a member of your family has type 1 diabetes and you test negative as an adult, your risk of developing the disease is the same as that of someone without risk factors, but it is not zero. However, in the absence of scientific data, current recommendations do not suggest retesting.

Are there ways to prevent type 1 diabetes?

At present, there is no way to prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes. However, there is a Health Canada-approved treatment to delay its onset in those with early-stage disease. For more information, see the link SUPPORT for teplizumab.

Who should I contact for more information?

You can contact our team at the following email address:
[email protected] or by phone at 514-987-5500 ext. 3295.

Who funds this research project, and does it influence the results?

This research project is funded by Sanofi as part of an “Investigator-Initiated Research.” This means that the study is designed and conducted by independent researchers, not by the pharmaceutical company. The funding supports the research activities, but Sanofi is not involved in the design or conduct of the study, the analysis of the data, or the interpretation of the results. The researchers remain responsible for the project and are committed to following strict scientific and ethical standards to ensure the integrity and transparency of the results.

My screening test is positive, and I’ve been followed as part of this research project. Who will be responsible for my follow-up after the study ends?

Once the study is completed, it will be important to continue regular follow-up to ensure that progression of type 1 diabetes is not missed. Your medical follow-up may be carried out either by your family physician if you have one, or by one of the clinician investigators involved in the study.

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