Islet Autoimmunity and HLA Markers of Presymptomatic and Clinical Type 1 Diabetes: Joint Analyses of Prospective Cohort Studies in Finland, Germany, Sweden, and the U.S.
Year: 2021
Type: other
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To combine prospective cohort studies, by including HLA harmonization, and to estimate risk of islet autoimmunity and progression to clinical diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Prospective cohorts in Finland, Germany, Sweden and the US have followed 24,662 children at increased genetic risk for development of islet autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes. Following harmonization, the outcomes were analyzed in 16,709 infants-toddlers enrolled by age 2.5 years. RESULTS: In the infant-toddler cohort, 1413 (8.5%) developed at least one autoantibody confirmed at two or more consecutive visits (seroconversion), 865 (5%) developed multiple autoantibodies, and 655 (4%) progressed to diabetes. The 15-year cumulative incidence of diabetes varied in children with one, two or three autoantibodies at seroconversion: 45% (95% CI 40-52%), 85% (78-90%), and 92% (85-97%), respectively. Among those with single autoantibody, their status two years after seroconversion predicted diabetes risk: 12% (10-25%) if reverting to autoantibody negative, 30% (20-40%) if retaining single autoantibody, and 82% (80-95%) if developing multiple autoantibodies. HLA-DR-DQ affected the risk of confirmed seroconversion and progression to diabetes in children with stable single autoantibody. Their 15-year diabetes incidence for higher vs. lower risk genotypes was 40% (28-50%) vs. 12% (5-38%). The rate of progression to diabetes was inversely related to age at development of multiple autoantibodies ranging from 20%/year to 6%/year in children developing multi-positivity ≤2 years or >7.4 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The number of islet autoantibodies at seroconversion reliably predicts 15-year type 1 diabetes risk. In children retaining single autoantibody, HLA-DR-DQ genotypes can further refine risk of progression.
Authors: Vibha Anand, Ying Li, Bin Liu, Mohamed Ghalwash, Eileen Koski, Kenney Ng, Jessica L. Dunne, Josefine Jönsson, Christiane Winkler, Mikael Knip, Jorma Toppari, Jorma Ilonen, Michael B. Killian, Brigitte I. Frohnert, Markus Lundgren, Anette-Gabriele Ziegler, William Hagopian, Riitta Veijola, Marian Rewers
Institutions: IBM (United States), Lund University, Helmholtz Munich, Institute of Diabetes Research, University of Colorado Anschutz, Technical University of Munich, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Tampere University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku University Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4242042103