Patterns of disease progression in children with type 1 diabetes during the first six months

Magdy K. El-Din, Mona H. El-Sa

Abstract

This a prospective longitudinal study was carried out to assess the relation of disease progression of juvenile – onset type 1 diabetes, determined by preserved beta cell function 6 months after diagnosis, with systemic concentration of IL- 1ra. Thirty children with recent- onset of type 1 diabetes with a mean age of 6.5±2.2 years were enrolled. Meal – stimulated C- peptide and IL- 1ra were tested 1 and 6 months after diagnosis using ELISA technique. On the basis of the C- peptide course for the duration of 1- 6 months, three progression groups were defined: Patients with persistently low beta cell function (stable), rapid progressers, and remitters. IL-1ra did not differ between the groups at any time – point (p>0.05). Also, we found that body mass index (BMI) percentiles were significantly increased in diabetic patients during follow up compared to BMI percentiles at time of presentation (p= 0.014). The present study concluded that there are different progression patterns following diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children pointing to different mechanisms of disease progression.