Your participation in the GIFT-D pilot study is very important to us because it will help improve our ability to predict risk for type 1 diabetes.  As part of this study, we have calculated your chance of developing type 1 diabetes.  Your personalized risk estimate for developing type 1 diabetes is currently _____%.  This also means that you have a _____% chance of not developing the disease.  Remember that this risk estimate does not give you a definite answer about whether or not you will develop type 1 diabetes.  It helps predict your chance of getting the disease up to age 30. 

 Your personalized risk estimate was calculated using the following factors:

·   Your current age

·   Your family history

ÞWhether or not you have a brother or sister with type 1 diabetes

·   Your genetic makeup

ÞWhether or not you have forms of HLA genes associated with the disease

v     Your risk is not based on any environmental risk factors such as viruses or diet.

 Important points about your risk for developing type 1 diabetes:

Ø The genetic component of your risk will not change because you cannot change what genes you inherit.

Ø Genes are just one piece of the puzzle—environmental factors may also influence your risk.

 General information about type 1 diabetes:

·   What is type 1 diabetes? 

Insulin is a substance made by the pancreas that helps the body use the sugar from the food we eat for energy.  Type 1 diabetes occurs when part of the pancreas stops doing its job and insulin is not available to help sugar enter the cells of the body. 

 ·   What are the symptoms of type 1 diabetes?

Symptoms may include:  excessive thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, increased fatigue, blurry vision, irritability, and vomiting/nausea.  If you have any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor.

 ·   How is type 1 diabetes treated?

Treatment involves daily blood sugar testing, careful dietary management, and daily insulin injections to help the body maintain the right amount of sugar in the blood.

 If you have questions in the future about the GIFT-D pilot study or your personalized risk estimate, please call 412-624-7582.
Websites providing more information about basic genetics

Ø Genetics @ GlaxoSmithKline—http://genetics.gsk.com/generalpublic_flash.htm

Ø Genetic Science Learning Center—http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/

 Websites providing more information about type 1 diabetes

Ø American Diabetes Association—http://www.diabetes.org  

Ø The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International—http://www.jdrf.org

Websites providing more information about clinical trials for type 1 diabetes

Ø Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet—http://www.diabetestrialnet.org (1-800-425-8361)

Ø National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Information—http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/