Autoimmune Disease Implies Higher Risk of Future T1D

Background: The incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) peaks in late adolescence. Patients with T1D have an increased frequency of autoimmune disease. There are scant data on the incidence of T1D in patients initially diagnosed with autoimmune disease. Objective: To assess whether an association exists between preexisting autoimmune conditions and subsequent diagnosis of T1D. Design: Nationwide, population-based, retrospective cohort study in Israel. Methods: The cohort was formed of all adolescents aged 16 to 19 years who underwent medical evaluation prior to military service between 1996 and 2016. Autoimmune diseases were diagnosed at the initial evaluation with standard criteria. Subjects with T1D or missing height/weight data were excluded. The primary variable was the presence or absence of a diagnosed autoimmune disease. The primary outcome was the subsequent incidence of T1D. The dataset is comprehensive due to a legal mandate requiring report of T1D to a national registry. For a more...