Abstract | BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in both industrialized and developing countries. In Africa, there are little data on the prevalence and immunological features of patients with autoimmune endocrine diseases. AIM OF THE STUDY: PATIENTS AND METHODS: RESULTS: Of 47 patients with type 1 diabetes, 16 (34%) had GAD autoantibodies (Abs), 3 (6.4%) had IA2 Abs, and 2 (4.3%) had TPO Abs. Of 18 patients with thyrotoxicosis 4 (22.2%) had GAD Abs, 5 (27.8%) showed IA2 Abs, while 8 patients (44.4%) were TPO Abs positive. No patients in either group had Tg Abs. Among normal subjects, 2 (5.6%) showed GAD Abs, and one of these was also IA2 Abs positive, but none had thyroid autoantibodies. CONCLUSION: Adult-onset type 1 diabetic patients some years post-diagnosis from central Africa show GAD, IA2 or TPO Abs; and surprisingly, patients with thyrotoxicosis had a similar frequency of diabetes-associated autoantibodies. We conclude that, despite a different genetic and environmental background to European populations, islet cell autoimmunity is common in autoimmune endocrine patients in central Africa.
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Authors | M I Hawa, A Picardi, F Costanza, D D'Avola, G Beretta Anguissola, C Guglielmi, G Mottini, L Fezeu, J C Mbanya, R D G Leslie, P Pozzilli |
Journal | Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.)
(Clin Immunol)
2006 Feb-Mar
Vol. 118
Issue 2-3
Pg. 229-32
ISSN: 1521-6616 [Print] United States |
PMID | 16298164
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Autoantibodies
- Autoantigens
- ICA512 autoantibody
- Iron-Binding Proteins
- Thyroglobulin
- TPO protein, human
- Iodide Peroxidase
- Glutamate Decarboxylase
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Topics |
- Adult
- Autoantibodies
(blood)
- Autoantigens
(immunology)
- Cameroon
(epidemiology)
- Diabetes Mellitus
(blood, epidemiology, immunology)
- Female
- Glutamate Decarboxylase
(immunology)
- Humans
- Iodide Peroxidase
(immunology)
- Iron-Binding Proteins
(immunology)
- Male
- Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune
(blood, epidemiology, immunology)
- Thyroglobulin
(immunology)
- Thyroid Gland
(immunology)
- Thyrotoxicosis
(blood, immunology)
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