Atopy in children and adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
BACKGROUND
Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is dominated by a Th1 response whereas atopic diseases such as asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis are characterized by a Th2 response. Because it is known that Th1 and Th2 cells reciprocally counteract each other, it can be speculated that the prevalence of Th2-mediated diseases is lower in patients with a Th1-mediated disease.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the prevalence of atopic diseases among children with IDDM and age-matched controls.


METHODS
The study group comprised 65 children with IDDM attending the pediatric endocrinology clinic at the Wolfson Medical Center. The control group consisted of 74 non-diabetic children who presented at the emergency room due to an acute illness (burns, abdominal pain, fever, head trauma). Patients were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire on their history of personal and familial atopic and autoimmune diseases. In addition, a total serum immunoglobulin E concentration and the presence of IgE antibodies to a panel of relevant inhalant allergens were analyzed.


RESULTS
Children with IDDM and their first-degree relatives had a significantly higher prevalence of other autoimmune diseases such as thyroiditis and celiac as compared to controls. The two groups had a similar prevalence of atopic diseases with respect to history, total serum IgE, or the presence of IgE antibodies to a panel of relevant inhalant allergens.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of atopic diseases in IDDM patients was similar to that in the normal population. Our results suggest that the traditional Th1/Th2 theory to explain the complexity of the immune response is oversimplified.
Gazit
Vered
V
Pediatric Emergency Medicine Unit, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel.
Tasher
Diana
D
Hanukoglu
Aharon
A
Landau
Zohar
Z
Ben-Yehuda
Yoram
Y
Somekh
Eli
E
Dalal
Ilan
I
D000293:Adolescent; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
D007073:Immunoglobulin E