A case-control study on risk factors for type 1 diabetes in Taipei City

To search for non-genetic risk factors for Type 1 diabetes among Chinese, a total of 117 Type 1 diabetes patients identified from the Taipei Type 1 Di abetes Registry and 193 frequency-matched controls with normal glucose tole rance were recruited. The controls were selected from classmates or colleag ues of cases with similar distributions of age, sex, and parental and indiv idual educational levels. Information on Type 1 diabetes risk factors was o btained through standardized interviews according to a structured questionn aire administered by two trained nurses. In the univariate analyses, the or der of pregnancy of the study subject, the number of spontaneous and induce d abortions reported by the mother before giving birth to the study subject s, the duration of breast-feeding and monthly family income were significan tly associated with Type 1 diabetes in a dose-response manner. There was a U-shaped relationship with Type 1 diabetes for birth weight and paternal ag e at the conception of the study subjects. After further adjustment for mul tiple risk factors through logistic regression analysis, the biological gra dient for pregnancy order, duration of breast-feeding, and the U-shaped rel ationship for paternal age remained statistically significant. (C) 1998 Els evier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.