title: A 12-year prospective study of the relationship between islet antibodies and beta-cell function at and after the diagnosis in patients with adult-onset diabetes.
abstract: To clarify the relationships between islet antibodies (islet cell antibody [ICA], GAD antibody [GADA], and IA-2 antibody [IA-2A]) versus the progression of beta-cell dysfunction, we have followed a group of diabetic patients from their diagnosis at 21-73 years of age. Patients with ICA had high levels of GADA and/or IA-2A at diagnosis and a more severe beta-cell dysfunction 5 years after diagnosis than those with only GADA in low concentrations. The aim of the current 12-year follow-up study was to examine the further progression of beta-cell dysfunction in relation to islet antibodies at and after diagnosis. Among 107 patients, complete beta-cell failure 12 years after diagnosis was restricted to those with islet antibodies at diagnosis (16 of 21 [77%] with multiple antibodies and 4 of 5 [80%] with only GADA). In contrast, among antibody-negative patients, fasting P-C-peptide levels were unchanged. Most GADA-positive patients (22 of 27 [81%]) remained GADA positive after 12 years. Associated with decreasing fasting P-C-peptide levels (0.85 nmol/l [0.84] at diagnosis vs. 0.51 nmol/l [0.21] 12 years after diagnosis, P < 0.05), ICA developed after diagnosis in 6 of 105 originally antibody negative mostly overweight patients. In conclusion, multiple islet antibodies or GADA alone at diagnosis of diabetes predict future complete beta-cell failure. After diagnosis, GADA persisted in most patients, whereas ICA development in patients who were antibody negative at diagnosis indicated decreasing beta-cell function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Lund University, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. henrik.borg@endo.mas.lu.se
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Borg
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gottsäter
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fernlund
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sundkvist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005215:Fasting; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D002096:C-Peptide; C096322:ICA512 autoantibody; D007527:Isoenzymes; C024211:islet cell antibody; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase; C401141:glutamate decarboxylase 2