Characteristics of childhood and adult-onset type 1 diabetes in a multi-ethnic population.

OBJECTIVE

To compare patients with classic type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosed in childhood and adulthood regarding clinical presentation, GADA and HLA DR B1*03/04 prevalence in a multi-ethnic population.

METHODS

We studied 83 Brazilian patients with classic T1D divided in 2 groups: (1) diagnosed before 20 years old (n=42); (2) diagnosed at age 20 and up (n=41). All were interviewed and blood was sampled for GADA measurement and HLA DR B1 typing.

RESULTS

The study population comprised 52 women and 31 men, 52 white and 31 non-white individuals with mean age of 29.94 (+/-10.95) years and mean disease duration of 10.37 (+/-7.37) years. The mean age at onset in groups 1 and 2 were, respectively, 11.48 and 27.2 years old. There were no significant differences between groups regarding diabetic ketoacidosis at presentation. A longer symptomatic period preceding the diagnosis was observed in group 2 (p=0.039). The prevalence of GADA and HLA DR B103/04 was similar between groups. HLA DR B113 was significantly more common in the group 1 (p=0.024). GADA was more prevalent among patients with HLA DR B1*03 (p=0.02).

CONCLUSION

In this study, T1D diagnosed in adulthood was associated with longer symptomatic period preceding diagnosis and lower prevalence of HLA DR B113, but there were no differences regarding ketoacidosis as a form of disease presentation, GADA (+) or HLA DR B1 03/04.