title: Coexistence of IgE-mediated allergy and type 1 diabetes in childhood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autoimmune disorders are considered to be associated with a Th1 immune response while allergic diseases with a Th2 response. We carried out a study to determine whether there is an inverse relationship between allergic diseases in IgE-sensitized children or positive skin-prick test reactions to allergens and type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-three children with DM1 and 108 controls were enrolled. Parents of all children compiled a questionnaire on allergic diseases. All children underwent skin-prick tests for common aero-allergens and food-allergens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A history of allergic symptoms, especially wheezing, asthma and allergic rhinitis was significantly less common in the group with DM1. Allergic symptoms in children with IgE sensitization or parental atopy were no more likely in children with DM1 than in normal control subjects. There was no association between skin-prick test results to inhalants and food allergens and DM1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistently with the Th1/Th2 paradigm, we observed a reduction in the frequency of allergic symptoms in children with DM1. However, our study did not succeed in demonstrating an inverse relation between Th1- and Th2-mediated diseases in children with IgE sensitization or an atopic genetic predisposition.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento dell'Età Evolutiva, Clinica Pediatrica, Parma, Italy. carlo.caffarelli@unipr.it
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caffarelli
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cavagni
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pierdomenico
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chiari
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spattini
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vanelli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012882:Skin Tests; D013223:Statistics as Topic