THE GENETIC CONTRIBUTION TO DISEASE PATHOGENESIS IN CHILDHOOD DIABETES IS GREATEST IN THE VERY YOUNG

Epidemiological data are presented to support the hypothesis that the genetic contribution to disease pathogenesis in childhood onset diabet es is greatest in those presenting at a very early age. Analysis of fa mily data from two national surveys of childhood onset Type 1 (insulin -dependent) diabetes (1988 in under 15s: 1992 in under 5s) reveals tha t children developing diabetes between the ages 1 and 2 years are sign ificantly more likely to have a parental history of Type 1 diabetes th an older children. It is proposed that compared with other children, t hose with very early onset diabetes have either a greater genetic and smaller environmental contribution to the initiation of the autoimmune process leading to Type 1 diabetes: or inherited HLA alleles associat ed with a more fulminant autoimmune mediated Beta-cell destruction onc e the process is initiated.