Maternal infection during pregnancy and type 1 diabetes mellitus in offspring: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) could be triggered by an early childhood infection. Whether maternal infection during pregnancy is associated with T1DM in offspring is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to study the association using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eighteen studies including 4304 cases and 25 846 participants were enrolled in this meta-analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were synthesised using random-effects models. Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of associations. Overall, the pooled analysis yielded a statistically significant association between maternal infection during pregnancy and childhood T1DM (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.07-1.62). Furthermore, six studies that tested maternal enterovirus infection showed a pooled OR of 1.54 (95% CI 1.05-2.27). Heterogeneity from different studies was evident (I2 = 70.1%, P < 0.001) and was mainly attributable to the different study designs, ascertaining methods and sample size among different studies. This study provides evidence for an association between maternal infection during pregnancy and childhood T1DM.

Effects of Paternal Obesity on Fetal Development and Pregnancy Complications: A Prospective Clinical Cohort Study

“…Observational studies have found that increased paternal body mass index during pregnancy alters fetal cord blood methylation patterns, decreases neonatal IgM levels (32), is associated with delayed personal and social functioning in three-year-old children (33), increases the incidence of type II diabetes and insulin resistance (34), and is associated with the severity of obesity in childhood (35). Studies have found that obesity in the father during pregnancy alters birth weight (36)(37)(38) and increases the child's susceptibility to metabolic syndrome (36), subfertility (39), fatty liver (40), kidney disease (41), and hypertension (42) while reducing the child's cognitive function (43). It is widely believed that these factors have the potential to influence early embryonic and fetal growth and development, leading to the hypothesis that paternal obesity can influence pregnancy and child health outcomes long after pregnancy through epigenetic alterations.…”

miRNA-16-5p inhibits the apoptosis of high glucose-induced pancreatic β cells via targeting of CXCL10: potential biomarkers in type 1 diabetes mellitus

“…As an insulin-dependent type of diabetes, T1DM is relatively harmful to human health [20]. Autoimmune-mediated pancreatic b-cell destruction is one of the pivotal pathophysiological mechanisms of T1DM, leading to severe insulin deficiency [21,22].…”

Intrauterine programming of obesity and type 2 diabetes

“…Viral infections in pregnancy, specifically by enteroviruses [17], have been associated with type 1 diabetes in the offspring, though the mechanisms are complex and evidence circumstantial [18, 19]. Two recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses identified a potentially causative link between maternal viral infections in pregnancy and type 1 diabetes in the offspring [20, 21]. Interestingly, monocytes from mothers with gestational diabetes show a proinflammatory profile [22], which can also be induced in fetal monocytes of mothers infected with hepatitis B virus [22].…”