Type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes has become one of the most studied polygenic disorders. It effects over 1.4 million people in the US, with a rising incidence in many western nations. It is clear that there is a strong hereditary component in the development of disease, with siblings at higher risk than offspring and both at higher risk than the general population. It is also clear that autoimmunity plays a large role in disease pathogenesis. Development is insidious and chronic, but the initial presentation is often acute (hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis, and cerebral edema) and can be deadly as it is often unexpected.