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Auto-immunity in children with diabetes mellitus and in their relatives

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Abstract

Islet cell antibodies (ICA-IgG and complement-fixing-ICA), parietal cell antibodies (PCA), intestinal epithelial cell antibodies (IECA), thyroglobulin (TgA) and thyroid microsomal antibodies (MsA), antinuclear (ANA) and reticulin antibodics (RA), were studied in 55 insulin-dependent diabetic patients (30 males and 25 females), aged 2–19 years with diabetes from a few days up to 14 years. In 58% of the diabetics one or more autoantibodies were found: ICA-IgG (31%), CF-ICA (16%), PCA (34%), TgA (9%), MsA (9%), ANA (13%), RA (2%). Autoantibodies were significantly more frequent in females (76%) than in males (43%) (P<0.025). ICA-IgG, CF-ICA, PCA, ANA were significantly more frequent in patients than in controls. The frequency of ICA-IgG and CF-ICA was significantly higher during the first 3 years of disease than afterwards (P<0.001); a similar pattern was observed for PCA, TgA, MsA. Of the 87 parents and 30 siblings screened for ICA-IgG, CF-ICA, PCA, IECA, TgA, MsA, ANA and RA, 42 (44%) had one or more autoantibodies, which were more frequent in females than in males. Seven relatives (6%) were ICA-IgG positive (four mothers, two fathers and one brother), and only one mother, ICA-IgG negative, was CF-ICA positive. Other autoantibodies were also more frequent in parents than in controls. Autoantibody-positive relatives have been asymptomatic up to now.

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Abbreviations

ICA:

islet cell antibodies

PCA:

parietal cell antibodies

IECA:

intestinal epithelial cell antibodies

TgA:

thyroglobulin antibodies

MsA:

microsomal antibodies

ANA:

antinuclear antibodies

RA:

reticulin antibodies

IF:

indirect immunofluorescence

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, I and II Chair, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    R. Lorini, D. Larizza, C. Livieri, V. Cammareri, A. Martini, A. Plebani, D. Zanaboni & F. Severi

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  1. R. Lorini
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  2. D. Larizza
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  3. C. Livieri
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  4. V. Cammareri
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  5. A. Martini
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  6. A. Plebani
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  7. D. Zanaboni
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  8. F. Severi
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Lorini, R., Larizza, D., Livieri, C. et al. Auto-immunity in children with diabetes mellitus and in their relatives. Eur J Pediatr 145, 182–184 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446060

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446060

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