Comparison of Juvenile Diabetics with Positive and Negative Organ Specific Antibody Titers: Evidence for Genetic Heterogeneity

Juvenile diabetics with significant thyroid, gastric or adrenal antibody titers were compared with juvenile diabetics with negative antibody titers on the basis of various parameters of clinical and family history. Parents and siblings of juvenile diabetics with positive antibody titers have a significantly higher frequency of positive antibody titers than do parents and siblings of juvenile diabetics with negative antibody titers. This finding provides evidence for genetic heterogeneity among juvenile diabetics.