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Pertussis infection in childhood and subsequent type 1 diabetes mellitus

S M Montgomery1, A G C Ehlin, A Ekbom

  • 1Enheten för Klinisk Epidemiologi, Institutionen för medicin vid Karolinska Sjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Scott.Montgomery@medks.ki.se

Diabetic Medicine : a Journal of the British Diabetic Association
|March 22, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Pertussis infection may increase the risk of developing Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Conversely, pertussis immunization appears to offer protection against Type 1 DM, warranting further investigation into delayed onset.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Immunology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Pertussis (whooping cough) has been suspected but not definitively linked to Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM).
  • Previous research primarily focused on childhood-onset Type 1 DM, leaving a gap in understanding adult-onset cases and pertussis associations.
  • This study investigates the long-term relationship between pertussis exposure and the development of Type 1 DM, extending into adulthood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between pertussis infection and immunization with the risk of developing Type 1 DM.
  • To determine if pertussis exposure is a risk factor for both childhood and adult-onset Type 1 DM.
  • To assess the potential protective effect of pertussis immunization against Type 1 DM.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal analysis of 16,820 individuals from two British birth cohorts (BCS70 and NCDS) followed into adulthood.
  • Cox regression models were used to analyze the relationship between pertussis infection/immunization and Type 1 DM onset.
  • Adjustments were made for other infections (measles, mumps, chickenpox), immunizations (tetanus, smallpox), sex, parental social class, and cohort.

Main Results:

  • Pertussis infection was associated with an increased odds ratio (OR) of 2.21 for Type 1 DM onset at any age.
  • Pertussis immunization showed a decreased OR of 0.73 for Type 1 DM onset at any age.
  • For Type 1 DM onset after age 10, pertussis infection had an OR of 2.59, while immunization had an OR of 0.63, indicating a significant association.

Conclusions:

  • Pertussis infection may represent a risk factor for developing Type 1 DM.
  • Pertussis immunization may confer a protective effect against Type 1 DM.
  • Further research is recommended to explore delayed Type 1 DM onset following pertussis exposure.
Abstract

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