title: Familial distribution of thyroid disease and diabetes: further evidence for aetiological heterogeneity of diabetes mellitus.
abstract: The prevalences of thyroid disease, insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes were compared in first degree relatives of diabetics with and without coexisting autoimmune thyroid disease. Thyroid disease was more common in siblings of diabetics with thyroid disease than in those of diabetics without thyroid disease. Insulin-dependent diabetes was more common in siblings of diabetics with a personal or family history of thyroid disease than in those of diabetics without such a history. The prevalence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes was unrelated to that of thyroid disease but was greater in siblings of non-insulin-dependent diabetics than in those of insulin-dependent diabetics. These findings add further support to the aetiological distinction between insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes and suggest that further heterogeneity exists within the population of insulin-dependent diabetics based on the presence of a personal or family history of thyroid disease.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012744:Sex Ratio; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin