Utility of genetic risk scores in type 1 diabetes – published online 13/07/2023

Amber M. Luckett, Michael N. Weedon, Gareth Hawkes, R. David Leslie, Richard A. Oram, Struan F. A. Grant

Advances in genetic research have greatly expanded our understanding of the genetic contribution to type 1 diabetes, facilitating the development of genetic risk scores (GRSs) for type 1 diabetes risk. In this review, Luckett et al (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-023-05955-y) summarise the utility of type 1 diabetes GRSs, specifically for disease classification and prediction. They highlight how progression from simplistic models to models that incorporate HLA interactions have allowed us to capture disease risk and discriminate type 1 diabetes from other forms of diabetes. Alongside other factors, such as family history and autoantibody status, GRSs have been integrated into combined risk scores for type 1 diabetes onset prediction. Within newborn population screening, type 1 diabetes GRSs have the potential to identify infants at risk of future presentation of the disease so that they can receive additional clinical care. The authors conclude that the integration of GRSs into healthcare has huge potential for identifying and informing treatment in individuals with type 1 diabetes. The figures from this review are available as a downloadable slideset

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