Researchers have uncovered the risk factors associated with islet autoimmunity (IA) in children.
According to a new study, gastrointestinal illnesses during infancy escalates the IA risks in children exposed to gluten-containing grains like wheat or barley at four months of age or at seven months of age, Health Day reported.
Since type 1 diabetes is preceded by autoimmunity to islet antigens the study was examining the causes of IA.
Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are digestive disorders affecting the function of intestine. There are two types of GI. One is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) with chronic diarrhea, constipation and intestinal pain and the other is Inflammatory GI disorders withInflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis.
Dr. Janet K. Snell-Bergeon from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora and colleagues included 1,729 children for examining the connection between gastro illness, IA and exposure to gluten-containing grains at an early age.
Among the total participants, 1,174 were without a family history of diabetes and 555 had a close relative with type 1 diabetes.
IA is decided by positive antibodies to insulin, glutamic acid decarboxylase or tyrosine phosphatise on two repeated study visits.
At the end of the analysis, investigators found 109 children having constant IA. Exposing to wheat or barley (gluten containing grains) at an early age and gastrointestinal illness were found escalating the risks of IA.
However, Snell-Bergeon and team didn't find any link between upper respiratory symptoms, respiratory illness or fevers and IA.
"Specific pathogens such as enteroviruses or rotavirus may increase the risk of IA in the presence of existing inflammation induced by diet," the authors wrote.
Findings of the study have been published online Oct.5 in Diabetes Care.
