HLA antigens and islet cell antibodies in gestational diabetes.

The HLA antigens of 136 patients with gestational diabetes are compared with control populations. No significant variations are observed in their frequencies, particularly for those antigens associated with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Islet cell antibodies have also been studied in the serum of 52 of these patients and 20 of them were positive, whereas only one of 37 pregnant nondiabetic women had such antibodies (chi 2 = 15.2). A very high association between ICA and DR3 and DR4 was encountered (chi 2 = 17, with two df); half of the patients positive for either one of these antigens were ICA positive. These results indicate that ICA associates equally with DR3 and DR4, against the hypothesis that this expression of autoimmunity is more a characteristic of DR3- than of DR4-associated genetic susceptibility. These patients will be followed to determine if the ICA+ individuals are at increased risk for the development of insulin-dependent diabetes.