Molecular epidemiology of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: WHO DiaMond Project. WHO DiaMond Molecular Epidemiology Sub-Project Group.

The WHO DiaMond Molecular IDDM Epidemiology Sub-Project is testing the hypothesis that population variation in the frequency of high-risk HLA-DQ alleles is a primary determinant of the global patterns of IDDM incidence. Data are currently available for 16 populations, and reveal significant variations in the frequencies of HLA-DQA1 and DQB1 alleles among the case and the control groups. However, DQA1 x Arg-(52) and DQB1 x non-Asp-57 (ND) were consistent and independent markers of IDDM susceptibility in all populations, except Japan. Individuals who carried only DQA1 x R and DQB1 x ND alleles had an IDDM risk similar to that observed for first degree relatives of affected individuals (3%-5%). Such information is essential for the development of clinical strategies or disease prevention approaches for the general population or individuals at high-risk. Thus, the DiaMond Molecular Epidemiology Sub-Project provides an excellent model that can be followed to assess the impact of new genetic discoveries on medicine and public health practice for diabetes and other chronic diseases.