Link Between Celiac Disease, Thyroid Disease, and Type 1 Diabetes
Adolescents diagnosed with certain autoimmune diseases are at a heightened risk of developing Type 1 diabetes (T1D) in young adulthood.
According to a new report in the journal Diabetes Care, authors found links among Type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, and Hashimoto thyroiditis, all of which are strongly associated with HLA class II genes.
Although previous research has found links between T1D and other autoimmune diseases, most of that prior research has been based on study participants who already had T1D at baseline.
The study's corresponding author, Amir Tirosh, M.D., Ph.D., of Israel’s Sheba Medical Center, and colleagues concluded that more work is needed to better understand the dynamics between T1D and other autoimmune diseases.
Key findings include:
- Type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, and Hashimoto thyroiditis are all strongly associated with HLA class II genes.
- Adolescents with certain autoimmune diseases are at a heightened risk of developing Type 1 diabetes in young adulthood.
Author's summary: Adolescents with autoimmune diseases are at risk of developing Type 1 diabetes in adulthood.