Hierarchical Order of Distinct Autoantibody Spreading and Progression to Type 1 Diabetes in the TEDDY Study
Kendra Vehik, Ezio Bonifacio, Åke Lernmark, Liping Yu, Alistair J.K. Williams, Desmond Schatz, Marian Rewers, Jin‐Xiong She, Jorma Toppari, William Hagopian, Beena Akolkar, Anette G. Ziegler, Jeffrey P. Krischer, The TEDDY Study Group, Marian Rewers, Aaron Barbour, Kimberly Bautista, Judith Baxter, Daniel Felipe-Morales, Kimberly A. Driscoll, Brigitte I. Frohnert, Marisa Stahl, Patricia Gesualdo, Michelle Hoffman, Rachel Karban, Edwin Liu, Jill M. Norris, Stesha Peacock, Hanan Shorrosh, Andrea K. Steck, Megan Stern, Erica Villegas, Kathleen Waugh, Jorma Toppari, Olli Simell, Annika Adamsson, Suvi Ahonen, Iris Erlund, Leena Hakola, Anne Hekkala, Henna Holappa, Heikki Hyöty, Anni Ikonen, Jorma Ilonen, Sinikka Jäminki, Sanna Jokipuu, Leena Eklund Karlsson, Jukka Kero, Miia Kähönen, Mikael Knip, Minna-Liisa Koivikko, Merja Koskinen, Mirva Koreasalo, Kalle Kurppa, Jarita Kytölä, Tiina Latva-aho, Katri Lindfors, Maria Lönnrot, Elina Mäntymäki, Markus Mattila, Maija E. Miettinen, Katja Multasuo, Teija Mykkänen, Tiina Niininen, Sari Niinistö, Mia Nyblom, Sami Oikarinen, Paula Ollikainen, Zhian Othmani, Sirpa Pohjola, Petra Rajala, Jenna Rautanen, Anne Riikonen, Eija Riski, Miia Pekkola, Minna Romo, Satu Ruohonen, Satu Simell, Maija Sjöberg, Aino Stenius, Päivi Tossavainen, Mari Vähä-Mäkilä, Sini Vainionpää, Eeva Varjonen, Riitta Veijola, Irene Viinikangas, Suvi Μ. Virtanen, Jin‐Xiong She, Desmond Schatz, Diane Hopkins, Leigh Steed, Jennifer Bryant, Katherine Silvis, Michael J. Haller, Melissa Gardiner, Richard McIndoe, Ashok Sharma, Stephen W. Anderson, Laura M. Jacobsen, John Marks
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The first-appearing β-cell autoantibody has been shown to influence risk of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Here, we assessed the risk of autoantibody spreading to the second-appearing autoantibody and further progression to clinical disease in The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Eligible children with increased HLA-DR-DQ genetic risk for T1D were followed quarterly from age 3 months up to 15 years for development of a single first-appearing autoantibody (GAD antibody [GADA], insulin autoantibody [IAA], or insulinoma antigen-2 autoantibody [IA-2A]) and subsequent development of a single second-appearing autoantibody and progression to T1D. Autoantibody positivity was defined as positivity for a specific autoantibody at two consecutive visits confirmed in two laboratories. Zinc transporter 8 autoantibody (ZnT8A) was measured in children who developed another autoantibody. RESULTS There were 608 children who developed a single first-appearing autoantibody (IAA, n = 282, or GADA, n = 326) with a median follow-up of 12.5 years from birth. The risk of a second-appearing autoantibody was independent of GADA versus IAA as a first-appearing autoantibody (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.12; 95% CI 0.88–1.42; P = 0.36). Second-appearing GADA, IAA, IA-2A, or ZnT8A conferred an increased risk of T1D compared with children who remained positive for a single autoantibody, e.g., IAA or GADA second (adjusted HR 6.44; 95% CI 3.78–10.98), IA-2A second (adjusted HR 16.33; 95% CI 9.10–29.29; P < 0.0001), or ZnT8A second (adjusted HR 5.35; 95% CI 2.61–10.95; P < 0.0001). In children who developed a distinct second autoantibody, IA-2A (adjusted HR 3.08; 95% CI 2.04–4.65; P < 0.0001) conferred a greater risk of progression to T1D as compared with GADA or IAA. Additionally, both a younger initial age at seroconversion and shorter time to the development of the second-appearing autoantibody increased the risk for T1D. CONCLUSIONS The hierarchical order of distinct autoantibody spreading was independent of the first-appearing autoantibody type and was age-dependent and augmented the risk of progression to T1D.