Childhood thyroid autoimmunity and relation to islet autoantibodies in children at risk for type 1 diabetes in the diabetes prediction in skåne (DiPiS) study

Abstract

Background: The aim was to determine prevalence and age at seroconversion of thyroid autoimmunity in relation to islet autoantibodies, gender and HLA-DQ genotypes in children with increased risk for type 1 diabetes followed from birth. Methods: In 10-year-old children (n = 1874), blood samples were analysed for autoantibodies against thyroid peroxidase (TPOAb), thyroglobulin (TGAb), glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GADA), Zink transporter 8 (ZnT8R/W/QA), insulinoma-associated protein-2 (IA-2A), insulin (IAA) and HLA-DQ genotypes. Prospectively collected samples from 2 years of age were next analysed for TPOAb, and TGAb and, finally, in confirming samples at 11–16 years of age along with TSH and FT4. Frequencies were tested with Chi-square or Fischer’s exact tests, autoantibody levels with Wilcoxon and correlations between autoantibody levels with Spearman’s rank correlation test. Results: The prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity was 6.9%, overrepresented in girls (p