Figure 1.

Flow chart of the study protocol. *Weight loss (except at visit 0), abdominal pain/discomfort, abnormal laboratory data, unstable glucose metabolism despite the adequate diet and medical treatment and without intercurrent infection (except at visit 0). **Fasted (overnight, at least 8 hours) patients’ blood samples at room temperature will be drawn into an EDTA tube. Within 2 hours after blood draw samples will be at 19°C–21°C. After centrifugation, the supernatant is carefully removed. After that, the plasma is transferred in 0.5 ml aliquots to tubes and stored at −80°C, in a dedicated freezer (≤6 hours from centrifuge to freezer). CA19-9, carbohydrate antigen 19–9; EUS, endoscopic ultrasound; GADA, glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies.