Life-threatening autoimmunity with diabetes: management with an insulin pump

A 2-yr-old boy presented initially with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Over the next 9 yrs, he developed multiple autoimmune conditions including Evans' syndrome, alopecia, and autoimmune bowel disease. Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy, candidiasis, ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) syndrome was considered, but no mutations were found in the autoimmune regulator-1 (AIRE-1) gene, making this diagnosis unlikely, and he did not fulfill the clinical criteria for immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked (IPEX) syndrome. We describe the challenges created by the combination of these diseases and how introduction of insulin pump therapy revolutionized his care.