ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Objective We evaluated the prevalence of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA) and tyrosine phosphatase-protein antibodies (IA2A), their titers and their relation to first phase insulin response (FPIR) and glucose tolerance in autoimmune thyroid diseases (ATDs) patients. Subjects and methods Graves' disease (GD; n = 181) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT; n = 143) patients in addition to healthy controls (n = 93) were studied. Secondly, FPIR and oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were performed in 11 anti-pancreatic islet-cell (+) and in 20 anti-pancreatic-cell (-) patients. Results There was a non significant trend for higher prevalence of GADA positivity in GD vs HT (7.2% vs 2% p = 0.06), but the GADA titers were higher in HT. We also did not find a significant difference in IA2 prevalence (0.7% vs 0.0%) between these two groups or compared to the control group. In the subsequent analysis, low FPIR was found in 10% of these patients but without statistical difference for OGTT between pancreatic antibody-positive and -negative patients. Conclusion A trend for greater prevalence of GADA was observed for GD patients than for HT or control. However, the titers of these autoantibodies were higher in HT patients, but there was no significant relation to insulin secretion and glucose tolerance at that moment and stage of autoimmune diseases.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Young Adult , Autoantibodies/analysis , Blood Glucose/analysis , Graves Disease/enzymology , Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases/immunology , Hashimoto Disease/enzymology , Glutamate Decarboxylase/immunology , Insulin/metabolism , Graves Disease/blood , Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases/blood , Hashimoto Disease/blood , Insulin Secretion , Glucose Tolerance Test , Glutamate Decarboxylase/blood , Insulin/bloodABSTRACT
Background: Islet cell-specific autoantibodies such as islet cell antibody (ICA), antiinsulin (IAA), anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and anti-tyrosine phosphatase (IA2) can be present in patients with type I diabetes. Breast feeding duration and the early exposure to milk substitutes are environmental factors associated to etiology of type 1 diabetes. Aim To study the frequency of the anti-GAD, anti-IA-2 e ICA antibodies in Chilean type 1 diabetic patients and determine the possible modulator effect of the breast feeding. Patients and methods: One hundred thirty four type I diabetic patients, aged one to 15 years old, were studied at the moment of their diagnosis. Patients were classified according to the duration of exclusive breast feeding. IA-2 and GAD were determined by radio immuno assay and ICA by means of indirect immunofluorescence. Results: Subjects with three months or less and those with more than three months of breast feeding were positive for ICA in 78.8 and 90.6 per cent of cases respectively, for GAD in 75 and 54.6 per cent of cases respectively (p=0.024) and for IA-2 in 73 and 43.8 per cent of cases respectively (p=0.001). All three antibodies were positive in 53.9 and 21.8 per cent of children with less or more than three months of breast feeding (p=0.001). Conclusion: Both IA-2 and GAD antibodies are less frequently positive in type 1 diabetic patients who have been breast fed for more than three months. These findings suggest a possible attenuating role of exclusive breast feeding on pancreatic aggression events in patients with type 1 diabetes