New genetic characteristics of latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA)

Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is assigned to a subtype of immune-mediated type 1 diabetes (T1DM) according to the typing method for diabetes of WHO in 1999 which shares clinical features of T1DM and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The association of LADA with T1DM and T2DM still remains unclear and the precise definition of LADA has always been controversial (1,2).