[Random C peptide measurement in adults with clinical diagnosis of type 1 diabetes].
OBJECTIVE
C peptide measurement can be helpful for classification of diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between clinical diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and levels of random C peptide.


METHODS
Random C peptide was measured in adults of multi-ethnic background who had been classified as having T1D according to their clinical presentation. All individuals were > 18 years old at onset.


RESULTS
The study included 51 adults, 28 (54.9%) females and 23 (45.1%) males, 36 (70.6%) Caucasian and 15 (29.4%) non-Caucasian. Their mean age at onset and duration of DM mean age were 27.9 (+/- 7.5) years and 9.9 (+/-7.2) years, respectively. In 8 patients (15.7%) C peptide was > 1.5 ng/ml, indicating sustained beta cell function. In this group a higher level of body mass index (26.05 vs 23.05 kg/m(2); p=0.006) and a greater proportion of non Caucasian individuals (62.5% vs 23.3%; p=0.039)) were detected.


CONCLUSIONS
Most patients with DM clinically classified as T1D exhibit low C peptide. However, pancreatic insulin secretion seems to be preserved in a significant proportion of those individuals, possibly representing an atypical form of DM, not yet elucidated, that combines characteristics of both T1D and T2D.
Rodacki
Melanie
M
Serviço de Nutrologia - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) e pelo Serviço de Diabetes - Instituto Estadual deDiabetes e Endocrinologia Luis Capriglione (IEDE), Rio de Janeiro, RJ. mrodacki@hucff.ufrj.br
Zajdenverg
Lenita
L
Milech
Adolpho
A
Oliveira
José Egídio Paulo de
JE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D002096:C-Peptide; D007328:Insulin