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Updated: Jul 19, 2025
Electrochemiluminescence Assays for Human Islet Autoantibodies
Published on: March 23, 2018
HLA Genotype and Probiotics Modify the Association Between Timing of Solid Food Introduction and Islet Autoimmunity
Ulla Uusitalo1, Lazarus K Mramba1, Carin Andrén Aronsson2
1Health Informatics Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.
Objective:
To study the interaction among HLA genotype, early probiotic exposure, and timing of complementary foods in relation to risk of islet autoimmunity (IA).
Research Design And Methods:
The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study prospectively follows 8,676 children with increased genetic risk of type 1 diabetes. We used a Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusting for potential confounders to study early feeding and the risk of IA in a sample of 7,770 children.
Results:
Any solid food introduced early (<6 months) was associated with increased risk of IA if the child had the HLA DR3/4 genotype and no probiotic exposure during the 1st year of life. Rice introduced at 4-5.9 months compared with later in the U.S. was associated with an increased risk of IA.
Conclusions:
Timing of solid food introduction, including rice, may be associated with IA in children with the HLA DR3/4 genotype not exposed to probiotics. The microbiome composition under these exposure combinations requires further study.
