Fulminant type 1 diabetes: a collaborative clinical cases investigation in China

To clarify the detailed distribution, clinical and immunological features of patients with fulminant type 1 diabetes (F1D), we consecutively investigated 53 cases from nationwide 24 hospitals in China. After the clinical and immunological features were evaluated, we compared pregnancy-associated F1D (PF) with those of child-bearing age with F1D that was not associated with pregnancy in clinical characteristics. As a result, patients with F1D were reported from all over China, and there was no significant regional and seasonal preference of this disease. Around 34.0% (18/53) patients displayed low titers of autoantibodies against one or more autoantigens, including 12 cases positive for GADA, 2 for IA-2A, 4 for ZnT8A and 3 for both GADA and ZnT8A. The frequency of PF in female F1D was 34.6% (9/26). Among 9 PF patients, 8 (88.9%) developed F1D during pregnancy which resulted in stillbirth, while one had the onset of F1D after eutocia with her fetus survived. This study suggests that islet-associated autoimmunity may be involved in and contribute to the development of F1D. Pregnant women may be PF high-risk population, and the prognosis for the fetus is extremely poor in PF patients.