title: HLA heterogeneity of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus at diagnosis. The Pittsburgh IDDM study.
abstract: Although some previous studies have suggested that insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is a heterogeneous condition with variant forms being associated with HLA-DR types, the evidence, thus far, is conflicting. To address this issue, we have examined the presenting characteristics of a consecutive admission series of 200 newly diagnosed cases of IDDM from the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Because HLA-DR frequencies vary by race, data are presented only for the 172 white cases with complete HLA-DR typing. HLA-DR3 was found more frequently among male cases and DR4 among female cases (P less than 0.005). Generally, patients with DR4 presented with a severer clinical picture, being more likely to have impaired consciousness and significant dehydration. In addition, patients with DR4 were more likely to be acidotic, ketotic, and to more frequently report a recent viral infection. This latter finding was supported by a greater frequency of antibodies to Coxsackie-B viruses in the DR4 cases at presentation. These results therefore suggest that there is considerable heterogeneity in IDDM, at least in presenting characteristics, according to HLA-DR type.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012737:Sex Factors; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II