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Birth size and risk of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)
J Lawler-Heavner1, K J Cruickshanks, W W Hay
1Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 80262.
Insights
This study found no significant differences in birth size between children who developed insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and those who did not. Birth size does not appear to predict childhood IDDM risk.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Childhood insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is a significant health concern.
- Previous research has explored potential prenatal risk factors for IDDM.
- The relationship between birth size and the development of childhood IDDM requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether infants who develop IDDM in childhood have an increased birth size.
- To determine if birth size differs based on the age of IDDM diagnosis.
- To assess if birth size can serve as an indicator of prenatal diabetogenic influences.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study design was employed.
- Cases comprised non-Hispanic white children diagnosed with IDDM (n=221).
- Controls were non-Hispanic white children (n=197) frequency-matched by age and gender, with birth size and demographic data collected via questionnaires.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were observed in birth weight, birth length, or ponderal index between cases and controls.
- Adjusted analyses controlling for covariates did not reveal significant associations between birth size categories and IDDM status.
- No significant differences in birth size were found when analyzing by age-at-diagnosis groups.
Conclusions:
- Birth size does not appear to be a reliable predictor of childhood IDDM.
- The findings suggest that prenatal diabetogenic influences, if present, are not readily detectable through standard birth size measurements.
- Further research may be needed to identify other early-life markers associated with IDDM development.
Abstract:
A case-control study was conducted to test the hypotheses that birth size is increased in infants who develop IDDM in childhood and that birth size differs by diagnosis age. Cases were non-Hispanic white (NHW) children randomly selected from the Colorado IDDM Registry (n = 221). Controls (n = 197) were NHW children frequency-matched to cases by age-group and gender. Self-administered questionnaires collected birth size and demographic data. There were no significant univariate differences in birth weight (cases 3303.0 g; controls, 3346.1 g; P = 0.40), birth length (cases, 50.8 cm; controls, 51.2 cm; P = 0.28), or ponderal index (cases, 2.52; controls, 2.49; P = 0.92). The case/control odds ratio (OR) controlling for gender, maternal education, and birth place was 1.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.4, 2.5) for the highest category of birth weight compared to the lowest. There were no statistically significant case/control differences in ponderal index (highest to lowest category OR = 1.1; 95% CI 0.6, 2.0) or birth length (1 cm increase OR, 1.0; 95% CI 0.9, 1.2). Similarly, analysis by age-at-diagnosis groups revealed no significant differences, suggesting that birth size does not reveal prenatal diabetogenic influences.