Prevalence of ICA and GAD antibodies at initial presentation of type 1 diabetes mellitus in Singapore children.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of islet cell antibodies (ICA) and antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) in Asian children with diabetes mellitus (DM) at the time of diagnosis.


METHODS
41 children were studied at their initial presentation from 1993 to 2000.


RESULTS
Mean age of onset (+/- SD) of DM was 7.6 (+/- 4.2) years. One or both of the two autoantibodies, ICA and anti-GAD, were present in 17 of the 41 children (41.5%) at the time of diagnosis. Comparing the group of children with autoantibodies and the group without detectable autoantibodies, there were no significant differences in body mass index (15.4 vs. 16.3 kg/m2), age of onset (7.4 vs. 7.8 years), random C-peptide levels (203 vs. 311 pmol/l), HbA1c levels (13.2 vs. 12.7%), and frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis at presentation (53.3 vs. 55%).


CONCLUSIONS
Prevalence of antibodies at presentation of DM in Singapore (41.5%) is lower than in Caucasian populations (60-90%). Other autoantibodies yet to be identified may be contributory. Alternatively, non-immune mediated mechanisms may be responsible for a significant proportion of type 1 DM in Singapore children.
Lee
Y S
YS
Department of Paediatrics, National University of Singapore. paeleeys@nus.edu.sg
Ng
W Y
WY
Thai
A C
AC
Lui
K F
KF
Loke
K Y
KY
D044466:Asian People; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D012846:Singapore
D001323:Autoantibodies; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase