Underlying Pathophysiology of Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes

Running head: CLINICAL CASE 2
Underlying pathophysiology
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1CLINICAL CASE 2
The pathophysiology of type 1 juvenile diabetes found in the 16 year old patient James
encompasses destruction of beta cells present in the pancreas. Beta cells are found in the islets of
Langerhans and their primary function is associated with the storage and release of insulin
hormone that brings about reduction in blood glucose concentration. Earliest abnormality in the
function of beta cells that are detectable before clinical onset of the disease includes loss of
insulin secretion, and loss of 1st phase insulin response to intravenous glucose (Atkinson,
Eisenbarth and Michels 2014, p.70). There are several individual risk factors, which can create
an influence on the auto-immune response towards these cells. Some of the risk factors that
might have increased susceptibility of James to suffer from T1D involve expansion of
autoreactive helper cells (CD4+ and CD8+), activation of innate immune system and presence of
autoantibody producing B cells (Ferreira et al. 2015, p.783). This results in a rapid decline in
insulin secretion followed by onset of T1D symptoms, thereby resulting in an increased glucose
output by liver and reduced uptake of glucose by the insulin sensitive tissues.
Figure 1- Schematic diagram for type 1 diabetes pathophysiology
(Source- Jansari et al. 2014)