What is the Difference Between IDDM and NIDDM

The key difference between IDDM and NIDDM is that IDDM is a type of diabetes that arises from insufficient production of insulin from pancreatic cells due to autoimmunity, while NIDDM is a type of diabetes that arises from the loss of normal tissue sensitivity to insulin or insulin resistance.

Diabetes mellitus is of two types: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes was formerly known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and juvenile-onset diabetes. Type 1 diabetes may either produce insulin in small amounts or may not produce insulin at all. On the other hand, type 2 diabetes was formerly known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and adult-onset diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is due to a weak balance between insulin production and the weak ability of body cells to use and respond to insulin. Therefore, IDDM and NIDDM are two different types of diabetes or hyperglycemia.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is IDDM (Insulin Dependent Diabetes)
3. What is NIDDM (Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus)
4. Similarities – IDDM and NIDDM
5. IDDM vs. NIDDM in Tabular Form
6. Summary – IDDM vs. NIDDM

What is IDDM?

IDDM (Insulin Dependent Diabetes), type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes is a diabetic condition where the pancreas makes little or no insulin at all. The body uses insulin to allow sugar to enter into cells to produce energy. Thus, the lack of this hormone leads to diabetes. This condition usually appears during childhood or adolescence. Different factors, such as genetics and some viruses, may cause IDDM. In this condition, the symptoms may appear suddenly. These may include feeling thirsty more than usual, excess urination, bed wetting in children during the night, feeling very hungry, losing weight, feeling irritable, feeling tired and weak, and having blurry vision. The risk factors for IDDM include family history, genetics, geography (higher in people as they travel away from the equator), and age (the first peak occurs in children between 4 and 7 years old, and the second peak occurs in children between 10 and 14 years old).

IDDM can be diagnosed through glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test, random blood sugar test, and fasting blood sugar test. Furthermore, treatment for IDDM includes taking insulin externally, counting carbohydrates, fats, and protein, monitoring blood sugar regularly, exercising often and keeping a healthy weight, other medication (high blood pressure medications, aspirin, and cholesterol-lowering medications), and pancreatic islet transplantation.

What is NIDDM?

NIDDM (Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus) is a diabetic condition where the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to regulate the movement of glucose into the cells, and body cells respond poorly to insulin, resulting in reduced glucose uptake by the cells. In NIDDM, the symptoms often develop slowly and may include increased thirst, frequent urination, increased hunger, unintentional weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, slow wound healing, frequent infections, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, and areas of darkened skin, especially in armpits and neck.

The risk factors for NIDDM include overweight, fat distribution (storing fat mainly in the abdomen indicates a greater risk), inactivity, family history, race and ethnicity (Black, Hispanic, Native American and Asian people, and Pacific Islanders), blood lipid level (low HDL lipid increases the risk), age (greater risk after 35), prediabetes, pregnancy-related risk, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

NIDDM can be diagnosed through random blood sugar tests, fasting blood sugar tests, oral glucose tolerance tests, and screening. Furthermore, treatments for NIDDM may include healthy eating, regular exercise, weight loss, insulin therapy, regular blood sugar monitoring, medications such as metformin, sulfonylureas glinides, thiazolidinediones, DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, and weight loss surgery.

What are the Similarities Between IDDM and NIDDM?

• IDDM and NIDDM are two different types of diabetes or hyperglycemia.
• Both conditions may cause similar symptoms, such as increased thirst, frequent urination, increased hunger, unintentional weight loss, etc.
• These conditions may cause complications such as heart-related diseases, neuropathy, kidney diseases, eye diseases, etc.
• Both conditions can be diagnosed through blood tests.
• They are mainly treated through lifestyle changes and specific medications.

What is the Difference Between IDDM and NIDDM?

IDDM is a type of diabetes that arises from insufficient production of insulin from pancreatic cells due to autoimmunity, while NIDDM is a type of diabetes that arises from the loss of normal tissue sensitivity to insulin or insulin resistance. Thus, this is the key difference between IDDM and NIDDM. Furthermore, in IDDM, the symptoms appear suddenly, while in NIDDM, the symptoms appear slowly.

The infographic below presents the differences between IDDM and NIDDM in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – IDDM vs. NIDDM

IDDM and NIDDM are two different types of diabetes or hyperglycemia conditions. Both these conditions are chronic or long-term conditions. However, IDDM arises from insufficient production of insulin from pancreatic cells due to autoimmunity, while NIDDM arises from the loss of normal tissue sensitivity to insulin or insulin resistance. So, this summarizes the difference between IDDM and NIDDM.

Reference:

1. “Diabetes: Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (Type I).” NationWide Children’s.
2. Mandal, Dr. Ananya. “What Is Type 2 Diabetes?” News Medical.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus” By Manu5 – Scientific Animations (CC BY-SA 4.0)  via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Causation for T2D” By Sung Hoon Back and Randal J. Kaufman – Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Type 2 Diabetes (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia