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Islet antibodies associated with pancreatic B‐cell dysfunction at and 3 years after diagnosis of diabetes in subjects aged 35–64 years old: degree of impairment less severe than in those aged 0–34 years old
Author(s) -
Berger B.,
Borg H.,
Fernlund P.,
Stenström G.,
Sundkvist G.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
diabetic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.474
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1464-5491
pISSN - 0742-3071
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2006.01972.x
Subject(s) - medicine , interquartile range , islet , diabetes mellitus , antibody , population , gastroenterology , endocrinology , immunology , environmental health
Aims To determine differences in pancreatic B‐cell function in relation to islet antibodies at diagnosis of diabetes and 3 years later in subjects aged 35–64 years old compared with those aged 0–34 years. Methods From a population‐based diabetes register, 46 (0–34 years old) and 323 (35–64 years old) incident diabetic patients were investigated at diagnosis and 3 years later. Islet cell antibodies (ICA, GADA and IA‐2A) and fasting plasma C‐peptide were measured. Results Islet antibodies were found in 80% of the subjects aged 0–34 years and in 11% of those aged 35–64 years at diagnosis. ICA and GADA was the only combination of two islet antibodies detected in those aged 35–64 years and was, with or without IA‐2A, associated with significantly lower median fasting C‐peptide values than in those without or with only one antibody [0.35 nmol/l, interquartile range (IQR) 0.63 vs. 0.85 nmol/l, IQR 0.49; P = 0.0004]. However, fasting C‐peptide in subjects aged 35–64 years old with multiple islet antibodies was higher than in those aged 0–34 years with islet antibodies (median 0 nmol/l, IQR 0.16, P = 0.0019). After 3 years’ follow‐up, fasting C‐peptide was even lower in subjects aged 35–64 years old with three islet antibodies (median 0.14 nmol/l, IQR 0.27; P = 0.05). Conclusions Islet antibodies were common in adults at diagnosis of diabetes. The combination of ICA and GADA indicates impaired B‐cell function at diagnosis of diabetes in those aged 35–64 years old.