title: Low birthweight is associated with an increased risk of LADA and type 2 diabetes: results from a Swedish case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to investigate the association between birthweight and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), a common diabetes form with features of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the Epidemiological Study of Risk Factors for LADA and Type 2 Diabetes (ESTRID), a Swedish population-based study. Eligible for the analysis were 134 incident LADA cases (glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody [GADA] positive), 350 incident type 2 diabetes cases (GADA negative) and 603 randomly selected controls. We present ORs and 95% CIs for LADA and type 2 diabetes in relation to birthweight, adjusted for sex, age, BMI and family history of diabetes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low birthweight increased the risk of LADA as well as the risk of type 2 diabetes; OR per kg reduction was estimated as 1.52 (95% CI 1.12, 2.08) and 1.58 (1.23, 2.04), respectively. The OR for participants weighing <3 kg compared with ≥4 kg at birth was estimated as 2.38 (1.23, 4.60) for LADA and 2.37 (1.37, 4.10) for type 2 diabetes. A combination of low birthweight (<3 kg) and current overweight (BMI ≥ 25) further augmented the risk: LADA, OR 3.26 (1.69, 6.29); and type 2 diabetes, OR 39.93 (19.27, 82.71). Family history of diabetes had little impact on these estimates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that low birthweight may be a risk factor for LADA of the same strength as for type 2 diabetes. These findings support LADA, despite its autoimmune component, having an aetiology that includes factors related to type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Box 210, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden. rebecka.hjort@ki.se.
authors.forename: Rebecka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hjort
authors.affiliation: Unit of Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alfredsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Per-Ola
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Carlsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Clinical Research Centre, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Groop
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinell
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Clinical Research Centre, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Petter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Storm
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.|Finnish Institute for Molecular Medicine and Research Program for Diabetes and Obesity, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.|Folkhalsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Tiinamaija
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tuomi
authors.affiliation: Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Box 210, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carlsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase
keywords: BMI; Birthweight; Case–control study; Interaction; LADA; Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults; Type 2 diabetes