Immunological relation of atopy with type 1 diabetes in children

Abstract EN

Objective: Assess immunological relation between atopic disease and Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Subject and Method: A cross sectional study was done by written questionnaire adopted from American Academy of Dermatology Journal, (March 2008), from 200 children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus attending pediatric clinic, National Institute of Diabetes, and 200 non diabetic children attending pediatric clinic, New Cairo hospital.

Results: Cases had lower frequency of asthma compared to controls with statistically significant difference between both groups, no allergic conjunctivitis among cases was found but was 2% among controls, cases had lower frequency of allergic rhinitis compared to controls with statistically significant difference between both groups and cases had lower frequency of atopic dermatitis compared to controls with no statistically significant difference between both groups.

This study shows no statistically significant difference between both groups as regard type of lactation, effect of kind of food in presence of atopical symptoms, exposure to tobacco smoke.

This study shows that cases had lower frequency of interference with daily activities; lower frequency of family history of atopy.

This study indicates that positive atopical cases had higher frequency of positive family history of atopy compared to negative group with statistically significant difference in between.

This study shows that insulin dose among positive atopy cases was lower compared to negative atopy cases group with no significant difference.

Conclusion: Patients with Type 1 diabetes have a lower prevalence of atopic symptoms, mainly asthma and allergic rhinitis which is consistent with the Thl/Th2 polarization concept.

Additional studies are needed to evaluate the effect of atopy and allergic diseases on glycemic control and long-term complications in patients with Type 1 diabetes and to understand why allergic symptoms among children with Type 1 diabetes have decreased.