Relationship between type 1 diabetes and atopic diseases in a twin population

S F Thomsen, D L Duffy, K O Kyvik, A Skytthe, V Backer

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    Abstract

    AIM:
    To study the association between type 1 diabetes and atopic diseases in a twin population.
    METHODS:
    We performed record linkage between questionnaire-defined atopic dermatitis, asthma and hay fever, and hospital discharge diagnoses of type 1 diabetes in 54,530 Danish twins, 3-71 years of age.
    RESULTS:
    The age- and sex-adjusted risk of atopic dermatitis was decreased in subjects with type 1 diabetes compared with nondiabetic subjects, (2.1%vs 9.9%), odds ratio (OR)= 0.23 (0.07-0.71), P = 0.011, whereas asthma and hay fever were not significantly associated with type 1 diabetes. Within twin pairs discordant for type 1 diabetes, the diabetic twin had a lower risk of atopic dermatitis relative to the nondiabetic co-twin. Genetic factors for atopic dermatitis and type 1 diabetes were negatively correlated (r = -0.30), P = 0.0009.
    CONCLUSIONS:
    These findings substantiate the Th1 vs Th2 cell dichotomy for type 1 diabetes and atopic dermatitis, and indicate an inverse association between genetic factors for these disorders
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalAllergy: European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
    Volume66
    Issue number5
    Pages (from-to)645-7
    Number of pages3
    ISSN0105-4538
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2011

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