Rapid Publication Transmission of Maternal Islet Antibodies and Risk of Autoimmune Diabetes in Offspring of Mothers With Type 1 Diabetes

It is suggested that the maternal transmission of islet autoantibodies increases the risk of autoimmune diabetes in mice. The aim of this study was to determine whether fetal exposure to islet autoantibodies modified the risk of type 1 diabetes in humans. Islet autoantibodies were measured at birth in 720 offspring of mothers with type 1 diabetes. Offspring were prospectively followed for the development of multiple islet autoantibodies and diabe-tes. Offspring who were GAD or IA-2 autoantibody posi-tive at birth (n 678) had significantly lower risks for developing multiple islet autoantibodies (5-year risk 1.3%) and diabetes (8-year risk 1.1%) than offspring who were islet autoantibody negative at birth (5.3%, P 0.008; and 3%, P 0.04, respectively). Risk remained reduced after adjustment for birth weight, gestational age, o