Observations on age at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and family history in a small population: the Winchester cohort

Abstract Clinical and demographic data from the records of 694 white Caucasian patients with type 1 diabetes attending a secondary care diabetes clinic between 1983 and 2010 have been audited to give information on age at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and frequency of a family history of diabetes in their first degree relatives over five chronological decades between 1961 and 2010. All patients in the cohort lived in 12 postcode areas (six urban and six rural) in west Hampshire, and, although ascertainment is thought to be at least 90%, the exact at‐risk populations are not accurately known, so no incidence nor prevalence figures can be given. Mean age at diagnosis rose from 18.5 years in the decade 1961–70 to 26.7 years in 1991–2000, falling again to 21.9 in 2001–10. The ranges of ages at diagnosis were 0.7–53.5 years in the decade 1961–70, and 0.7–73.1 in the decade 1991–2000. Sixty‐three of the 694 patients (9.1%) were diagnosed over the age of 45 years. This is important in the initial management of people presenting with new‐onset diabetes at any age and for screening programmes to consider. Eighty‐eight patients had a first degree relative with diagnosed diabetes, giving an overall risk of 1 in 8 (12.7%). Possible genetic mechanisms operating in this group, and their investigation, are put forward on a hypothetical basis. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Source: Practical Diabetes International - Category: Endocrinology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research