Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Accelerated Type 1 Diabetes Induction in Mice by Adoptive Transfer of Diabetogenic CD4+ T Cells
06:27

Accelerated Type 1 Diabetes Induction in Mice by Adoptive Transfer of Diabetogenic CD4+ T Cells

Published on: May 6, 2013

Diabetic autoimmunity in infants and pre-schoolers with type 1 diabetes

E H Hathout1, J Sharkey, M Racine

  • 1Pediatric Diabetes Center, Loma Linda University Children's Hospital, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA. hathout@aol.com

Pediatric Diabetes
|March 16, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Type 1 diabetes is rapidly increasing in young children, presenting with more severe symptoms like diabetic ketoacidosis. Early-onset type 1 diabetes shows fewer autoimmune markers, suggesting potential age-related differences in disease development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Endocrinology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Type 1 diabetes (T1D) incidence is rising fastest in children under 5.
  • Early-onset T1D may be more aggressive and less understood than traditional T1D.
  • Limited data exists on the demographics and autoimmune markers in very young T1D patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze demographic, clinical, and autoimmune characteristics of T1D in children under 5.
  • To compare early-onset T1D (diagnosed <5 years) with later-onset T1D (diagnosed >5 years).
  • To investigate potential age-related differences in T1D pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 47 children diagnosed with T1D before age 5.
  • Comparison with a cohort of 49 children diagnosed after age 5.
  • Measurement of islet-cell antibodies (ICAs), GAD65, and insulin autoantibodies (IAAs).

Main Results:

  • Children with early-onset T1D had higher rates of viral illness symptoms and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at diagnosis.
  • Later-onset T1D patients had higher hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels at diagnosis.
  • Early-onset T1D showed significantly lower positivity for ICAs and GAD antibodies compared to later-onset T1D.

Conclusions:

  • Infants and toddlers with new-onset T1D exhibit fewer diabetes immune markers.
  • The accelerated disease course and lower HbA1c in early-onset T1D may indicate age-specific autoimmune responses.
  • Non-autoimmune diabetogenic mechanisms could contribute to T1D in very young children.

More Related Videos

Electrochemiluminescence Assays for Human Islet Autoantibodies09:15

Electrochemiluminescence Assays for Human Islet Autoantibodies

Published on: March 23, 2018

A High-Throughput Multiplexed Screening for Type 1 Diabetes, Celiac Diseases, and COVID-1906:46

A High-Throughput Multiplexed Screening for Type 1 Diabetes, Celiac Diseases, and COVID-19

Published on: July 5, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Diabetes Mellitus: Overview and Type I Subtype01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Overview and Type I Subtype

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose levels due to inadequate insulin production, insulin resistance, or both. The condition affects millions worldwide and can significantly impact their health and quality of life.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body is unable to produce sufficient insulin, and individuals with...
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
Diabetes Mellitus: Introduction01:26

Diabetes Mellitus: Introduction

Diabetes mellitus consists of chronic metabolic disorders characterized by persistent hyperglycemia. This elevated blood glucose results from defects in insulin secretion, impaired insulin action, or both. Insulin, produced by pancreatic β-cells, is essential for maintaining glucose homeostasis by facilitating cellular glucose uptake for energy or storage. Disruptions in insulin production or function lead to glucose accumulation in the bloodstream, causing the clinical features and long-term...
Type I Diabetes I: Introduction01:12

Type I Diabetes I: Introduction

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by an absolute deficiency of insulin resulting from the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β-cells. Although it can occur at any age, it is most commonly diagnosed in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. The loss of insulin production impairs cellular glucose uptake, resulting in persistent hyperglycemia and necessitating lifelong insulin therapy.Autoimmune Destruction of β-CellsThe hallmark of type 1 diabetes is an...
Type I Diabetes II: Pathophysiology01:26

Type I Diabetes II: Pathophysiology

Type 1 diabetes mellitus arises from an immune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β-cells, resulting in an absolute deficiency of insulin. This process develops in genetically susceptible individuals when autoimmunity, environmental exposures, and immunologic dysregulation converge to trigger a targeted attack on the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. The β-cells are located within the islets of Langerhans and are essential for regulating blood glucose by facilitating cellular uptake of...
Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations01:19

Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations

Type 1 diabetes mellitus typically presents with rapid-onset symptoms due to the body’s inability to utilize glucose in the absence of insulin. Since insulin is required for glucose uptake into cells, its deficiency leads to hyperglycemia and cellular energy deprivation, resulting in characteristic clinical features.Polyuria and PolydipsiaOne of the earliest, most prominent symptoms is polyuria (excessive urination). When blood glucose concentrations rise above the renal threshold, the kidneys...