Atopic allergy and delayed hypersensitivity in children with diabetes.

Abstract

The prevalence of atopy was studied in 61 children with type I insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and 72 age- and sex-matched control subjects. The two groups had a similar prevalence of atopic disease and did not differ significantly with respect to history, clinical findings, skin prick test results, total serum IgE levels, or presence of circulating IgE antibodies to allergen. We also studied delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions in 37 of the children with IDDM and 46 of the control subjects. Children with IDDM, as compared with those without IDDM, more often had other autoimmune diseases in their family histories (p < 0.01). They also had significantly stronger delayed hypersensitivity reactions than the control subjects, as determined with tetanus toxoid (p < 0.05) and mumps antigen (p < 0.01). The reactivity to purified protein derivate of tuberculin and Candida antigen was similar in the two groups. The study does not confirm previous suggestions of an inverse relationship between IDDM and atopic disease but does not confirm previous suggestions of an inverse relationship between IDDM and atopic disease but does confirm that IDDM is associated with other immunologic disturbances. The different genetic and immunologic traits do not prevent allergic manifestations in children with diabetes.