Short-term treatment with CD3 antibody preserves residual beta-cell function for at least 18 months in patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes.

Aims/hypothesis The aim of the study was to examine the 48 month outcome of treating recent-onset type 1 diabetic patients for 6 days with humanised CD3-antibody, ChAglyCD3. Methods Eighty patients, aged 12-39 years, were recruited for a phase 2 multicentre trial and randomised to placebo (n=40) or ChAglyCD3 (n=40) treatment by a third party member; participants and care-givers were blinded. The change in insulin dose (U kg −1 day −1 ) over 48 months was chosen as primary endpoint and compared in 31 placeboand 33 ChAglyCD3-treated patients. Adverse events were followed in 35 and 38 patients, respectively. Results Treatment with ChAglyCD3 delayed the rise in insulin requirements of patients with recent-onset diabetes and reduced its amplitude over 48 months (+0.09 vs +0.32 U kg −1 day −1 in the placebo group). Using multivariate analysis this effect was correlated with higher baseline residual beta cell function and a younger age. It was associated with better outcome variables in subgroups selected according to these variables. In the ChAglyCD3 subgroup with higher initial beta cell function, 0/11 patients became C-peptide-negative over 48 months vs 4/9 in the corresponding placebo subgroup. In the subgroup aged <27 years old, antibody treatment preserved initial beta cell function for 36 months (vs >80% decline within 24 months in the placebo subgroup <27 years old), resulted in lower HbA 1c concentrations and tended to reduce glycaemic variability (p=0.08). No longterm adverse events were observed. Conclusions/interpretation A 6 day ChAglyCD3 treatment can suppress the rise in insulin requirements of recent-onset type 1 diabetic patients over 48 months, depending on their age and initial residual beta cell function. In younger patients this effect is associated with reduced deterioration of metabolic variables. These observations help to define inclusion criteria for prevention trials.

BackgroundPropionic acidemia is an inherited disorder caused by deficiency of propionyl-CoA carboxylase. Although it is one of the most frequent organic acidurias, information on the outcome of affected individuals is still limited.Study design/methodsClinical and outcome data of 55 patients with propionic acidemia from 16 European metabolic centers were evaluated retrospectively. 35 patients were diagnosed by selective metabolic screening while 20 patients were identified by newborn screening. Endocrine parameters and bone age were evaluated. In addition, IQ testing was performed and the patients’ and their families’ quality of life was assessed.ResultsThe vast majority of patients (>85%) presented with metabolic decompensation in the neonatal period. Asymptomatic individuals were the exception. About three quarters of the study population was mentally retarded, median IQ was 55. Apart from neurologic symptoms, complications comprised hematologic abnormalities, cardiac diseases, feeding problems and impaired growth. Most patients considered their quality of life high. However, according to the parents’ point of view psychic problems were four times more common in propionic acidemia patients than in healthy controls.ConclusionOur data show that the outcome of propionic acidemia is still unfavourable, in spite of improved clinical management. Many patients develop long-term complications affecting different organ systems. Impairment of neurocognitive development is of special concern. Nevertheless, self-assessment of quality of life of the patients and their parents yielded rather positive results.

Childhood autoimmune diabetes is associated with autoimmunity that starts before 2 years of age.

Aim/hypothesis. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease with multiple susceptibility genes. The aim of this study was to determine whether combining IDDM1/HLA and IDDM2/insulin (INS) 5′ variable number of tandem repeat locus (VNTR) genotypes improves T1D risk assessment. Methods. Patients with T1D (n=488), control subjects (n=846), and offspring of parents with T1D (n=1122) were IDDM1 and IDDM2 genotyped. Offspring were followed for islet autoantibodies and T1D from birth until the age of 2 to 12 years. Results. Compared to the I/I INS VNTR genotype, the I/III and III/III genotypes reduced T1D risk conferred by IDDM1/HLA in all HLA genotype categories of the case-control cohort by 1.6-fold to three-fold. The highest T1D risk was associated with INS VNTR class I/I plus HLA DR3/DR4-DQ8 (20.4% in patients, 0.6% in control subjects) or HLA DR4-DQ8/DR4-DQ8 (6.3% in patients, 0.2% in control subjects). In the offspring, HLA DR3/DR4-DQ8 and DR4-DQ8/DR4-DQ8 conferred increased risk for early development of islet autoantibodies (14.6% and 12.9% by age 2 years). Offspring with these high risk IDDM1 genotypes plus the INS VNTR class I/I genotype (n=71; 6.3%) had the highest risk of developing islet autoantibodies (21.8% by age 2 years vs 8.9% in offspring with high risk IDDM1 plus INS VNTR class I/III or III/III genotypes, p<0.05) and T1D (8.5% by age 6 years vs 4.3%). Offspring who developed autoantibodies to multiple antigens had increased frequencies of both high risk IDDM1 and IDDM2 genotypes (p<0.0001), whereas offspring who developed autoantibodies to GAD only had increased frequencies of high risk IDDM1 and protective IDDM2 genotypes, suggesting that IDDM2 influences the autoimmune target specificity. Conclusion/Interpretation. Combining IDDM1 and IDDM2 genotyping identifies a minority of children with an increased T1D risk. [Diabetologia (2003) 46:712-720]

Early diagnosis of PA through NBS seems to be associated with a lower mortality rate. However, no significant benefit could be shown for surviving patients with regard to their clinical course, including the number of metabolic crises, physical and neurocognitive development, and long-term complications.

OBJECTIVETo determine whether daily intake of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] is safe and improves β-cell function in patients with recently diagnosed type 1 diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSSafety was assessed in an open study of 25 patients aged 18–39 years with recent-onset type 1 diabetes who received 0.25 μg 1,25(OH)2D3 daily for 9 months. An additional 40 patients were randomly assigned to 0.25 μg 1,25(OH)2D3 or placebo daily for 9 months and followed for a total of 18 months for safety, β-cell function, insulin requirement, and glycemic control.RESULTSSafety assessment showed values in the normal range in nearly all patients, regardless of whether they received 1,25(OH)2D3 or placebo. No differences in AUC C-peptide, peak C-peptide, and fasting C-peptide after a mixed-meal tolerance test between the treatment and placebo groups were observed at 9 and 18 months after study entry, with ∼40% loss for each parameter over the 18-month period. A1C and daily insulin requirement were similar between treatment and placebo groups throughout the study follow-up period.CONCLUSIONSTreatment with 1,25(OH)2D3 at a daily dose of 0.25 μg was safe but did not reduce loss of β-cell function.

OBJECTIVE -Children of affected probands are at increased risk for type 1 diabetes. The objective of this study was to determine and stratify the risk for islet autoimmunity and childhood diabetes in newborn offspring of affected parents using family history and HLA genetic markers.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -Antibodies to islet autoantigens were measured at ages 9 months, 2 years, 5 years, and 8 years in 1,610 offspring of parents with type 1 diabetes participating in the German BABYDIAB study. HLA DR and DQ genetic typing was performed. Family history of type 1 diabetes was obtained from questionnaires.RESULTS -Extensive family history of type 1 diabetes and HLA DR/DQ genotyping were associated with islet autoantibody and diabetes risks. Significant contributions to the child's risk for developing islet autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes were conferred by a multiple first-degree family history of type 1 diabetes (two parents or one parent and a sibling; adjusted hazard [HR] ratio, 6.2 for multiple islet autoantibodies and 7.8 for type 1 diabetes), high-risk HLA genotypes (adjusted HR, 11 and 10.9), and moderate-risk HLA genotypes (adjusted HR, 6.3 and 4.3) in a multivariate analysis. Combining these factors stratified the risk for islet autoantibodies from 1 to 46% and for type 1 diabetes from 0 to 19.5% by 5 years of age.CONCLUSIONS -Risk of childhood diabetes in affected families can be stratified using a combination of genetic and family history markers very early in life. Diabetes Care 27:2695-2700, 2004T ype 1 diabetes is preceded by autoimmunity against the insulinproducing islet ␤-cells (1,2). The development of islet autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, and the detection of islet autoantibodies in members of affected families identifies a minority of individuals who have a markedly elevated risk of type 1 diabetes (3). On this principle, two large-scale intervention trials to delay onset of type 1 diabetes in islet autoantibody-positive first-degree relatives of patients with type 1 diabetes have recently been completed in North America and Europe (4,5). Despite promising pilot studies, both trials reported no delay in onset of type 1 diabetes in the treatment group. Successful prevention may, therefore, require alternative therapies and/or strategies that treat diabetes very early in the autoimmune process or before its appearance.Primary prevention requires an ability to identify children who will develop autoimmunity. The German BABYDIAB study prospectively followed islet autoantibody and diabetes development in newborn offspring of parents with type 1 diabetes with the prospect of designing early intervention trials (6). The risk of developing islet autoantibodies in BABY-DIAB children is strongly linked to HLA genes (7). Nevertheless, several children developed multiple antibodies and diabetes in the absence of established type 1 diabetes genetic markers, implying the presence of other strong familial genetic or environmental risk factors. In...