Search

Aims: Determining diabetes type in children has become increasingly difficult due to an overlap in typical characteristics between type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The Diabetes Study in Children of Diverse Ethnicity and Race (DISCOVER) programme is a National Institutes of Health (NIH)‐supported multicenter, prospective, observational study that enrols children and adolescents with non‐secondary diabetes. The primary aim of the study was to develop improved models to differentiate between T1D and T2D in diverse youth. Materials and Methods: The proposed models will evaluate the utility of three existing T1D genetic risk scores in combination with data on islet autoantibodies and other parameters typically available at the time of diabetes onset. Low non‐fasting serum C‐peptide (<0.6 nmol/L) between 3 and 10 years after diabetes diagnosis will be considered a biomarker for T1D as it reflects the loss of insulin secretion ability. Participating centres are enrolling youth (<19 years old) either with established diabetes (duration 3–10 years) for a cross‐sectional evaluation or with recent onset diabetes (duration 3 weeks–15 months) for the longitudinal observation with annual visits for 3 years. Cross‐sectional data will be used to develop models. Longitudinal data will be used to externally validate the best‐fitting model. Results: The results are expected to improve the ability to classify diabetes type in a large and growing subset of children who have an unclear form of diabetes at diagnosis. Conclusions: Accurate and timely classification of diabetes type will help establish the correct clinical management early in the course of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate gastrointestinal infection episodes (GIEs) in relation to the appearance of islet autoantibodies in The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) cohort. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: GIEs on risk of autoantibodies against either insulin (IAA) or GAD (GADA) as the first-appearing autoantibody were assessed in a 10-year follow-up of 7,867 children. Stool virome was characterized in a nested case-control study. RESULTS: GIE reports (odds ratio [OR] 2.17 [95% CI 1.39–3.39]) as well as Norwalk viruses found in stool (OR 5.69 [1.36–23.7]) at <1 year of age were associated with an increased IAA risk at 2–4 years of age. GIEs reported at age 1 to <2 years correlated with a lower risk of IAA up to 10 years of age (OR 0.48 [0.35–0.68]). GIE reports at any other age were associated with an increase in IAA risk (OR 2.04 for IAA when GIE was observed 12–23 months prior [1.41–2.96]). Impacts on GADA risk were limited to GIEs <6 months prior to autoantibody development in children <4 years of age (OR 2.16 [1.54–3.02]). CONCLUSIONS: Bidirectional associations were observed. GIEs were associated with increased IAA risk when reported before 1 year of age or 12–23 months prior to IAA. Norwalk virus was identified as one possible candidate factor. GIEs reported during the 2nd year of life were associated with a decreased IAA risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To study the interaction among HLA genotype, early probiotic exposure, and timing of complementary foods in relation to risk of islet autoimmunity (IA). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study prospectively follows 8,676 children with increased genetic risk of type 1 diabetes. We used a Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusting for potential confounders to study early feeding and the risk of IA in a sample of 7,770 children. RESULTS: Any solid food introduced early (<6 months) was associated with increased risk of IA if the child had the HLA DR3/4 genotype and no probiotic exposure during the 1st year of life. Rice introduced at 4–5.9 months compared with later in the U.S. was associated with an increased risk of IA. CONCLUSIONS: Timing of solid food introduction, including rice, may be associated with IA in children with the HLA DR3/4 genotype not exposed to probiotics. The microbiome composition under these exposure combinations requires further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Biomarkers predicting risk of type 1 diabetes (stage 3) among children with islet autoantibodies are greatly needed to prevent diabetic ketoacidosis and facilitate prevention therapies.Research Design and Methods: Children in the prospective The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study (n = 707) with confirmed diabetes-associated autoantibodies (GAD antibody, IA-2A, and/or insulin autoantibody) and two or more HbA1c measurements were followed to diabetes or median age 11.1 years. Once confirmed autoantibody positive, HbA1c was measured quarterly. Cox models and receiver operative characteristic curve analyses revealed the prognostic utility for risk of stage 3 on a relative HbA1c increase from the baseline visit or an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) 2-h plasma glucose (2-hPG). This HbA1c approach was then validated in the Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet Pathway to Prevention Study (TrialNet) (n = 1,190).Results: A 10% relative HbA1c increase from baseline best marked the increased risk of stage 3 in TEDDY (74% sensitive; 88% specific). Significant predictors of risk for HbA1c change were age and HbA1c at the baseline test, genetic sex, maximum number of autoantibodies, and maximum rate of HbA1c increase by time of change. The multivariable model featuring a HbA1c ≥10% increase and these additional factors revealed increased risk of stage 3 in TEDDY (hazard ratio [HR] 12.74, 95% CI 8.7-18.6, P < 0.0001) and TrialNet (HR 5.09, 95% CI 3.3-7.9, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, the composite model using HbA1c ≥10% increase performed similarly to an OGTT 2-hPG composite model (TEDDY area under the curve [AUC] 0.88 and 0.85, respectively) and to the HbA1c model in TrialNet (AUC 0.82).Conclusions: An increase of ≥10% in HbA1c from baseline is as informative as OGTT 2-hPG in predicting risk of stage 3 in youth with genetic risk and diabetes-associated autoantibodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study is uniquely capable of investigating age-specific differences associated with type 1 diabetes. Because age is a primary driver of heterogeneity in type 1 diabetes, we sought to characterize by age metabolic derangements prior to diagnosis and clinical features associated with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).Research Design and Methods: The 379 TEDDY children who developed type 1 diabetes were grouped by age at onset (0-4, 5-9, and 10-14 years; n = 142, 151, and 86, respectively) with comparisons of autoantibody profiles, HLAs, family history of diabetes, presence of DKA, symptomatology at onset, and adherence to TEDDY protocol. Time-varying analysis compared those with oral glucose tolerance test data with TEDDY children who did not progress to diabetes.Results: Increasing fasting glucose (hazard ratio [HR] 1.09 [95% CI 1.04-1.14]; P = 0.0003), stimulated glucose (HR 1.50 [1.42-1.59]; P < 0.0001), fasting insulin (HR 0.89 [0.83-0.95]; P = 0.0009), and glucose-to-insulin ratio (HR 1.29 [1.16-1.43]; P < 0.0001) were associated with risk of progression to type 1 diabetes. Younger children had fewer autoantibodies with more symptoms at diagnosis. Twenty-three children (6.1%) had DKA at onset, only 1 (0.97%) of 103 with and 22 (8.0%) of 276 children without a first-degree relative (FDR) with type 1 diabetes (P = 0.008). Children with DKA were more likely to be nonadherent to study protocol (P = 0.047), with longer duration between their last TEDDY evaluation and diagnosis (median 10.2 vs. 2.0 months without DKA; P < 0.001).Conclusions: DKA at onset in TEDDY is uncommon, especially for FDRs. For those without familial risk, metabolic monitoring continues to provide a primary benefit of reduced DKA but requires regular follow-up. Clinical and laboratory features vary by age at onset, adding to the heterogeneity of type 1 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Autoantibodies to thyroid peroxidase (TPOAb) and thyroglobulin (TgAb) define pre-clinical autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) which can progress to either clinical hypo- or hyperthyroidism. We determined the age at seroconversion in children genetically at risk for type 1 diabetes., Methods: TPOAb and TgAb seropositivity were determined in 5066 healthy children with HLA DR3 or DR4 containing haplogenotypes from The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) Study. Children seropositive on the cross-sectional initial screen at 8-13 years of age had longitudinally collected samples (from 3.5 months of age) screened retrospectively and prospectively for thyroid autoantibodies to identify the age at seroconversion. First-appearing autoantibody was related to sex, HLA genotype, family history of AITD, and subsequent thyroid dysfunction and disease., Results: The youngest appearance of TPOAb and TgAb was 10 and 15 months of age, respectively. Girls had higher incidence rates of both autoantibodies. Family history of AITD was associated with a higher risk of TPOAb hazard ratio [HR] 1.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17, 3.08; and TgAb HR 2.55, 95% CI 1.91, 3.41. The risk of progressing to hypo- or hyperthyroidism was not different between TgAb and TPOAb, but children with both autoantibodies appearing at the same visit had a higher risk compared to TPOAb appearing first (HR 6.34, 95% CI 2.72, 14.76)., Main Conclusion: Thyroid autoantibodies may appear during the first years of life, especially in girls, and in children with a family history of AITD. Simultaneous appearance of both autoantibodies increases the risk for hypo- or hyperthyroidism., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society.)

Background/objective: Growth and obesity have been associated with increased risk of islet autoimmunity (IA) and progression to type 1 diabetes. We aimed to estimate the effect of energy-yielding macronutrient intake on the development of IA through BMI., Research Design and Methods: Genetically at-risk children ( n = 5,084) in Finland, Germany, Sweden, and the USA, who were autoantibody negative at 2 years of age, were followed to the age of 8 years, with anthropometric measurements and 3-day food records collected biannually. Of these, 495 (9.7%) children developed IA. Mediation analysis for time-varying covariates (BMI z -score) and exposure (energy intake) was conducted. Cox proportional hazard method was used in sensitivity analysis., Results: We found an indirect effect of total energy intake (estimates: indirect effect 0.13 [0.05, 0.21]) and energy from protein (estimates: indirect effect 0.06 [0.02, 0.11]), fat (estimates: indirect effect 0.03 [0.01, 0.05]), and carbohydrates (estimates: indirect effect 0.02 [0.00, 0.04]) (kcal/day) on the development of IA. A direct effect was found for protein, expressed both as kcal/day (estimates: direct effect 1.09 [0.35, 1.56]) and energy percentage (estimates: direct effect 72.8 [3.0, 98.0]) and the development of GAD autoantibodies (GADA). In the sensitivity analysis, energy from protein (kcal/day) was associated with increased risk for GADA, hazard ratio 1.24 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.53), p = 0.042., Conclusions: This study confirms that higher total energy intake is associated with higher BMI, which leads to higher risk of the development of IA. A diet with larger proportion of energy from protein has a direct effect on the development of GADA., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.