Circulating immune complexes in old people and in diabetics: correlation with autoantibodies

Circulating immune complexes (CIC) were detected by a solid-phase radioassay in 34% of fifty-three insulin-dependent diabetics (IDD) as compared to 18% of forty-five non-insulin-dependent diabetics (NIDD) and 14% of 173 control subjects. In control subjects, the prevalence of CIC increased with age and was higher in males than in females. In IDD, immune complexes were found with the highest frequency before the age of 30 and after 50. There was no significant difference between the incidence of CIC in old IDD and their age-matched controls. The same sera were also tested for the presence of the following autoantibodies; nuclear , thyroid, gastric, smooth and striated muscle; mitochondria, sub-maxillary and adrenal gland and liver-kidney microsome. Sera containing at least one antibody were found in 16.4% of controls, 55.3% of IDD and 40% of NIDD. The prevalence of autoantibodies increased with age in controls but not in IDD. Islet cell antibodies were present in 28.5% of IDD and 2.9% of control subjects; they were more frequent in young patients. CIC and autoantibodies were statistically associated both in controls and IDD; in the patients, CIC were associated not only with islet cell antibodies but also with other autoantibodies. The possible relation between autoimmunity, degenerative vascular diseases and CIC is discussed.