Association of family history of type 1 diabetes with autoimmunity and development of diabetes

Thesis event information

Date and time of the thesis defence

Place of the thesis defence

OYS, Aapistie 7, lecture hall F101

Topic of the dissertation

Association of family history of type 1 diabetes with autoimmunity and development of diabetes

Doctoral candidate

Licentiate of Medicine Salla Kuusela

Faculty and unit

University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, UniOGS Oulu

Subject of study

Medicine

Opponent

Dosent Antti Saari, KYS, Children hospital

Custos

Professor Riitta Veijola, OYS, Children hospital

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Family background of type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a autoimmune disease which is usually diagnosed in children under 15 years old. Autoantibodies associated with diabetes serve as markers of the start of the autoimmune process, and the disease’s progress is currently classified into three stages. Type 1 diabetes is associated with a strong hereditary risk, especially in first-degree relatives.
In the first study, the occurrence of type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases was investigated in first-, second- and third-degree relatives of children treated in Oulu University Hospital’s children’s diabetes clinic during a certain period. In the second and third studies, the family history of type 1 diabetes in DIPP study children was collected and its effect on the autoimmune profile and progression of type 1 diabetes was analyzed.
Children with type 1 diabetes had more type 1 diabetes in the family than control children. Other autoimmune diseases were more common both in case children and in their families.
When analyzing children who joined the DIPP follow-up, 62,2% of children who were antibody positive and progressed to type 1 diabetes had at least one relative with type 1 diabetes. In addition, multipositive (positive for at least two autoantibodies) children had type 1 diabetes in the paternal family more often than those with only one positive autoantibody.
In the third study, it was noticed that the occurrence of type 1 diabetes in the nuclear family increased during the 8.5-year follow-up, from 10.9% at the child’s birth to 17.4% at the end of the follow-up. Autoantibody status was compared between FDR positive (first degree relative with type 1 diabetes) and negative groups. FDR positive children were more often multipositive at seroconversion and progressed also to type 1 diabetes more often. GADA positivity was also more common in FDR positive children.
Last updated: 29.11.2024