The relationship of autoimmunity and HbA1c in patients with Type 1 Diabetes mellitus

The correlation between the clinical observations and the positive antibody results of patients with type 1 diabetes who were being followed regularly in our clinic was studied. The relation betwe en the levels of antibody and glycated hemoglobin at the time of the first dia gnose, at the 6th, 12 th and 18 th months after the diagnose and age was checked. Material and methods: The files of 209 patients being followed at the diabe tes policlinic with type 1 diabetes mellitus were retrieved from the archive of the hospital. The information about 84 patients whose a ntibody levels at the time of being diagnosed were determined and who were being followed regularly was checked. Thirty patients with negative antibody levels were excluded from the study. For all patients, age, sex, date of the first dia gnose and ICA, IAA, GADA and HbA1c levels at the time of the first diagnose and at the 6th, 12th and 18th months thereafter were recorded. Antibody levels were studied with EL İ SA and HbA1c levels were studied with HPLC technique. The Ethi cal Committee of Inonu University had approved the study. Results: In this study, the levels of antibodies against pancreas islet cells and glutamate decarboxylase were determined to decrease w hen compared with the findings at the time of the first diagnose. While ICA levels were found to be higher for the group older than five, there was no di fference between the groups for GADA levels. The level of antibodies against insulin was found to rise when compared with the levels at the beginning. IAA was hig her for five-year old and younger group. The number of patients with HbA1c leve ls higher than 7 were found to decline during the follow-up period. There was no significant difference between the groups. The fall of the levels of GADA, I CA and HbA1c showed that the decrease in the antibodies was in direct prop ortion to the good blood glucose control. Key words: Diabetes mellitus, autoantibody, glycated hemoglobin.