Pilot screening program for early detection of type 1 diabetes in first-degree relatives in saudi arabia (VISION-T1D)

Noor Bawahab; Raghad MohammedHussain; Iman Al-Gadi; Yazed AlRuthia; Muhammad Mujammami; Khalid Aburisha; Metib Alotaibi; Issa Sharifah Al; Amal Al-Saif; David Seftel; Cheng-ting Tsai; Khalifah Reem Al

doi:10.1530/endoabs.110.P354

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Endocrine Abstracts (2025) 110 P354 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.110.P354

ECEESPE2025 Poster Presentations Diabetes and Insulin (143 abstracts)

Pilot screening program for early detection of type 1 diabetes in first-degree relatives in saudi arabia (VISION-T1D)

Noor Bawahab^{1, 2}, Raghad MohammedHussain^{1, 2}, Iman Al-Gadi^{1, 2}, Yazed AlRuthia³, Muhammad Mujammami^{1, 2}, Khalid Aburisha¹, Metib Alotaibi^{1, 2}, Sharifah Al Issa^{1, 2}, Amal Al-Saif⁴, David Seftel⁵, Cheng-ting Tsai⁵ & Reem Al Khalifah^{1, 2}

Author affiliations

¹Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; ²The University Diabetes Centre, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; ³College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; ⁴College of Psychology, Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; ⁵Enable Biosciences, South San Francisco, California, United States

JOINT1822

Background: Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a growing global health concern, with a notable rise in incidence in Saudi Arabia. Despite the potential benefits of early detection through screening programs, such initiatives are currently lacking in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness of a T1D screening program targeting high-risk individuals, specifically children with a first-degree relative diagnosed with T1D.

Methods: The VISION-T1D program is a prospective cohort study focused on the early detection of pre-symptomatic T1D by screening children aged 2–18 years. The primary screening method involves testing for islet autoantibodies, including insulin autoantibodies (IAA), glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GADA), IA-2 autoantibodies (IA-2A), and Zn-transporter 8 (ZnT8) autoantibodies. Optional genetic testing, including HLA phenotyping and the Genetic Risk Score (GRS), is offered. Outcomes include the feasibility of the screening process, prevalence of early-stage T1D, psychological impacts, educational interventions effectiveness, progression rates to Stage 3 T1D, and the economic viability.

Results: The VISION-T1D program began in May 2024. As of December 2024, 210 families have been enrolled with 430 children. Data collection will continue until April 2025.

Conclusions: The VISION-T1D study provides a practical approach to T1D screening tailored to the healthcare landscape of Saudi Arabia. The insights gained from this pilot program will inform the development of a national, population-based screening initiative designed to reduce diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at diagnosis, improve long-term outcomes, and alleviate the economic burden of T1D. The VISION-T1D initiative could also serve as a scalable and sustainable model that can be adopted internationally, contributing to global efforts to manage and prevent T1D.