Elevated Serum IgA at Onset of Type 1 Diabetes in Children

Elevated serum IgA levels have been observed in various autoimmune conditions, including type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, whether children with T1D and elevated serum IgA have unique features has not been studied. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics associated with elevated serum IgA at the onset of pediatric T1D.

We analyzed demographic, clinical, and laboratory data retrospectively collected from 631 racially diverse children (6 months-18 years of age) with T1D who had serum IgA levels measured within 90 days of T1D diagnosis. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify characteristics that were significantly associated with elevated versus normal IgA.

Elevated serum IgA was present in 20.3% (128/631) of the children with newly diagnosed T1D. After adjusting for other variables, A1c level (p=0.029), positive insulin autoantibodies (IAA) (p=0.041), negative glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GADA) (p=0.005) and Hispanic ethnicity (p  < 0.001) were significantly associated with elevated serum IgA. After adjustment for confounders, the odds of elevated serum IgA were significantly increased with positive IAA (OR 1.653, 95% CI 1.019-2.679), higher HbA1c (OR 1.132, 95% CI 1.014-1.268) and Hispanic ethnicity (OR 3.279, 95% CI 2.003-5.359) but decreased with GADA positivity (OR 0.474, 95% CI 0.281-0.805).

Elevated serum IgA is present in 20.3% of the children at T1D onset and is associated with specific demographic and clinical characteristics, suggesting a unique pathogenesis in a subset of individuals. Further studies are warranted to investigate the IgA response, its role in T1D pathogenesis, and whether these associations persist over time.