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. 1987 Feb;33:389–392.

Is Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus an Autoimmune Disorder?

MH Tan, R McManus
PMCID: PMC2218339  PMID: 21263829

Abstract

Current evidence suggests that insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is most likely a slowly progressive autoimmune disorder. More than 90% of Caucasian IDDM patients have DR3 and/or DR4, the HLA region linked to immune response. At onset of disease, most IDDM patients have islet-cell antibodies, more immune-associated T lymphocytes and anti-insulin antibodies. Most IDDM patients who died within six months of diagnosis had insulitis: an infiltration of mononuclear cells (mostly activated T cells) around the pancreatic islets. Immunosuppression therapy may be effective in inducing remission in newly diagnosed IDDM patients.

Keywords: insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, autoimmune disorder, immunosupression therapy

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Selected References

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