The Giessen-Bad Oeynhausen family study: Improved prediction of type I diabetes in a low incidence population of relatives using combinations of islet autoantibodies in a dual step model
C. Jaeger et al., The Giessen-Bad Oeynhausen family study: Improved prediction of type I diabetes in a low incidence population of relatives using combinations of islet autoantibodies in a dual step model, EXP CL E D, 107(8), 1999, pp. 496-505
Citations number
35
Categorie Soggetti
Endocrinology, Nutrition & Metabolism
Journal title
EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & DIABETES
To determine the value of a combined antibody screening for prediction of t
ype I diabetes in a low incidence cohort, we prospectively studied 882 firs
t-degree relatives (485 parents, 382 siblings and 15 offsprings) for up to
Il years who were not preselected for islet cell antibody (ICA) status. Dur
ing the observation period, 16 individuals developed diabetes. The first se
rum sample obtained at study entry was analyzed for ICA and antibodies to i
nsulin (IAA), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA) and anti-IA-2ic. A multiva
riate analysis, according to the Cox proportional hazard model considering
the joint effects of all baseline variables, selected the four antibodies a
nd the specific family history as significant risk confounding factors (p <
0.05). Further analysis by Kaplan-Meier Life-table methods confirmed a sig
nificantly increasing risk of diabetes with the number of autoantibodies pr
esent (p < 0.001). In accordance with the Cox model, relatives with more th
an one affected family member (a multiplex pedigree) and siblings and offsp
rings vs, parents were at increased risk of IDDM (p < 0.05). In addition to
technical problems, a screening strategy based on initial ICA testing has
the potential of missing ICA negative subjects among future cases of type I
diabetes (19% were ICA negative in the present study) and we therefore set
out to evaluate an alternative approach using a dual step strategy with a
combination of GADA and anti-IA-2ic for initial screening followed by retes
ting of positive individuals for ICA and IAA. The combination of GADA and a
nti-IA-2ic for primary screening (step I) proved to be more sensitive, iden
tifying 94% of future cases of type I diabetes compared to 81% using ICA as
initial test and this antibody combination identified 93% of those individ
uals with ICA of 20 JDF or more. Retesting of positive individuals for ICA
and IAA (step 2) significantly improved the positive predictive value confe
ring a risk of diabetes for siblings and offsprings with more than 2 antibo
dies within 5 years of 67% (95%CI: 39-90). We conclude that the prognosis o
f contracting IDDM in relatives is strongly related to the number of autoan
tibodies present, but the family history should be additionally considered
for individual risk assessment. The proposed screening strategy could overc
ome the inherent problems of the TCA and IAA assays for large-scale screeni
ng. In the present study it allows 5-year risk estimates of up to 67% ident
ifying 94% of future cases of type I diabetes.