Test Catalog

Test Id : GD65S

Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase (GAD65) Antibody Assay, Serum

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Assessing susceptibility to autoimmune (type 1, insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and related endocrine disorders (eg, thyroiditis and pernicious anemia)

 

Distinguishing between patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes

 

Confirming a diagnosis of stiff-man syndrome, autoimmune encephalitis, autoimmune ataxia, brain stem encephalitis, autoimmune epilepsy, autoimmune myelopathy

Method Name
A short description of the method used to perform the test

Radioimmunoassay (RIA)

NY State Available
Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.

Yes

Reporting Name
Lists a shorter or abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test

GAD65 Ab Assay, S

Aliases
Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching

64K Antibody

Anti-GAD Antibodies

Anti-Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase Ab

Beta Cell Antibody

GAD65 Antibody Assay

Glutamate Decarboxylase Antibodies (GAD65)

Islet cell antibody

Pancreatic Islet Cell Ab

Stiffman Syndrome

Stiff person

Ataxia

Specimen Type
Describes the specimen type validated for testing

Serum

Ordering Guidance

This test should not be requested in patients who have recently received radioisotopes, therapeutically or diagnostically, because of potential assay interference. The specific waiting period before specimen collection will depend on the isotope administered, the dose given, and the clearance rate in the individual patient. Specimens will be screened for radioactivity prior to analysis. Radioactive specimens received in the laboratory will be held 1 week and assayed if sufficiently decayed or canceled if radioactivity remains.

Specimen Required
Defines the optimal specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing

Collection Container/Tube:

Preferred: Red top

Acceptable: Serum gel

Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial

Specimen Volume: 1.5 mL

Collection Instructions: Centrifuge and aliquot serum into a plastic vial.

Forms

Specimen Minimum Volume
Defines the amount of sample necessary to provide a clinically relevant result as determined by the Testing Laboratory

1 mL

Reject Due To
Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected

Gross hemolysis Reject
Gross lipemia Reject
Gross icterus Reject

Specimen Stability Information
Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the performing laboratory, alternate acceptable temperatures are also included

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Serum Refrigerated (preferred) 28 days
Frozen 28 days
Ambient 72 hours

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Assessing susceptibility to autoimmune (type 1, insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and related endocrine disorders (eg, thyroiditis and pernicious anemia)

 

Distinguishing between patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes

 

Confirming a diagnosis of stiff-man syndrome, autoimmune encephalitis, autoimmune ataxia, brain stem encephalitis, autoimmune epilepsy, autoimmune myelopathy

Clinical Information
Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test

Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is a neuronal enzyme involved in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Antibodies directed against the 65-kDa isoform of GAD (GAD65) are encountered at high titers (> or =20 nmol/L) in a variety of autoimmune neurologic disorders, including stiff-person (Moersch-Woltman) syndrome, autoimmune cerebellitis, brain stem encephalitis, seizure disorders, and other myelopathies.

 

GAD65 antibody is also the major pancreatic islet antibody and an important serological marker of predisposition to type 1 diabetes. GAD65 autoantibody serves as a marker of predisposition to other autoimmune disease that occur with type 1 diabetes, including thyroid disease (eg, thyrotoxicosis, Grave disease, Hashimoto thyroiditis, hypothyroidism), pernicious anemia, premature ovarian failure, Addison disease (idiopathic adrenocortical failure), and vitiligo. GAD65 antibodies are found in the serum of approximately 8% of healthy subjects older than age 50 years, usually in low titer but often accompanied by related "thyrogastric" autoantibodies.

Reference Values
Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.

< or =0.02 nmol/L

Reference values apply to all ages.

Interpretation
Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results

High titers (> or =20.0 nmol/L) are found in classic stiff-person syndrome (93% positive) and in related autoimmune neurologic disorders (eg, acquired cerebellar ataxia, some acquired non-paraneoplastic encephalomyelopathies).

 

Diabetic patients with polyendocrine disorders generally have glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody values 0.02 nmol/L or above.

 

Values in patients who have type 1 diabetes without a polyendocrine or autoimmune neurologic syndrome are usually 0.02 nmol/L or below. Low titers (0.03-19.9 nmol/L) are detectable in the serum of approximately 80% of type 1 diabetic patients. Conversely, low titers are detectable in the serum of less than 5% of patients with type 2 diabetes. Testing for autoimmune type 1 diabetes is complimented by testing for insulin, islet cell (IA-2), and ZnT8 antibodies.

 

Eight percent of healthy Olmsted County residents over age 50 years have low-positive values and may be at risk for future autoimmune disease.

 

Values 0.03 nmol/L or above are consistent with susceptibility to autoimmune (type 1) diabetes and related endocrine disorders (thyroiditis and pernicious anemia).

Cautions
Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances

Antibodies specific for glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65) account for most, but not all, antibodies detected in the islet cell antibody test (IA-2). IA-2 (a protein tyrosine kinase-like protein), insulin, and zinc transporter-8 antibodies are complementary islet cell antibodies.

Clinical Reference
Recommendations for in-depth reading of a clinical nature

1. McKeon A, Tracy JA. GAD65 neurological autoimmunity. Muscle Nerve. 2017;56(1):15-27. doi:10.1002/mus.25565

2. Pittock SJ, Yoshikawa H, Ahlskog JE, et al. Glutamic acid decarboxylase autoimmunity with brainstem, extrapyramidal and spinal cord dysfunction. Mayo Clin Proc. 2006;81(9):1207-1214

3. McKeon A, Robinson MT, McEvoy KM, et al. Stiff-man syndrome and variants: clinical course, treatments, and outcomes. Arch Neurol. 2012;69(2):230-238

4. Steriade C, Britton J, Dale RC, et al. Acute symptomatic seizures secondary to autoimmune encephalitis and autoimmune-associated epilepsy: Conceptual definitions. Epilepsia. 2020;61(7):1341-1351

5. Bingley PJ. Clinical applications of diabetes antibody testing. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010;95(1):25-33

Method Description
Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference

(125)I-labeled recombinant human glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) is incubated with the patient sample. Anti-human IgG is then added to form an immunoprecipitate. After washing the immunoprecipitate, the amount of (125)I-labeled antigen in the immunoprecipitate is measured using a gamma-counter. The amount of gamma emission in the precipitate is proportional to the amount of GAD65-IgG in the sample. Results are reported as units of precipitated antigen (nMol) per L of patient sample.(Walikonis JE, Lennon VA. Radioimmunoassay for glutamic acid decarboxylase [GAD65] autoantibodies as a diagnostic aid for stiff-man syndrome and a correlate of susceptibility to type 1 diabetes mellitus. Mayo Clin Proc. 1998;73[12]:1161-1166; Horta ES, Lennon VA, Lachance DH, et al. Neural autoantibody clusters aid diagnosis of cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2014;20[14]:3862-9386)

PDF Report
Indicates whether the report includes an additional document with charts, images or other enriched information

No

Day(s) Performed
Outlines the days the test is performed. This field reflects the day that the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means that assays are performed multiple times during the day.

Monday through Sunday

Report Available
The interval of time (receipt of sample at Mayo Clinic Laboratories to results available) taking into account standard setup days and weekends. The first day is the time that it typically takes for a result to be available. The last day is the time it might take, accounting for any necessary repeated testing.

3 to 6 days

Specimen Retention Time
Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded

28 days

Performing Laboratory Location
Indicates the location of the laboratory that performs the test

Rochester

Fees
Several factors determine the fee charged to perform a test. Contact your U.S. or International Regional Manager for information about establishing a fee schedule or to learn more about resources to optimize test selection.

  • Authorized users can sign in to Test Prices for detailed fee information.
  • Clients without access to Test Prices can contact Customer Service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • Prospective clients should contact their account representative. For assistance, contact Customer Service.

Test Classification
Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR) product.

This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

CPT Code Information
Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Clinic Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.

CPT codes are provided by the performing laboratory.

86341

LOINC® Information
Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the order and results codes of this test. LOINC values are provided by the performing laboratory.

Test Id Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
GD65S GAD65 Ab Assay, S 30347-9
Result Id Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
Applies only to results expressed in units of measure originally reported by the performing laboratory. These values do not apply to results that are converted to other units of measure.
81596 GAD65 Ab Assay, S 30347-9

Test Setup Resources

Setup Files
Test setup information contains test file definition details to support order and result interfacing between Mayo Clinic Laboratories and your Laboratory Information System.

Excel | PHP Pdf | CMS Pdf

Sample Reports
Normal and Abnormal sample reports are provided as references for report appearance.

Normal Reports | Abnormal Reports

SI Sample Reports
International System (SI) of Unit reports are provided for a limited number of tests. These reports are intended for international account use and are only available through MayoLINK accounts that have been defined to receive them.

SI Normal Reports | SI Abnormal Reports