Recent findings on fulminant type 1 diabetes

Biological function of type 1 regulatory cells and their role in type 1 diabetes

The collapse of immune homeostasis induces type 1 diabetes (T1D). In T1D, uncontrolled immune attacks against islet β cells reduce insulin secretion, resulting in hyperglycaemia and various complications. Type 1 regulatory (Tr1) cell therapy is a promising approach for the treatment of T1D. Tr1 cells are a subset of regulatory T (Treg) cells that are characterised by high interleukin-10 secretion and forkhead box protein P3 non-expression. Tr1 cells are reduced and have impaired function in patients with T1D. Immunotherapy is used to treat various diseases, and Treg cells have been applied to treat T1D in animal models and clinical trials. However, the safety and efficacy of Tr1 cells in treating diabetes and other diseases remain unclear. In this review, we aim to investigate the identification and biological function of Tr1 cells and related studies on immune diseases; additionally, we discuss the feasibility, limitations, and possible solutions of Tr1 cell therapy in T1D. This review shows that T1D is caused by an immune imbalance where defective Tr1 cells fail to control effector T cells, leading to the destruction of islet β cells. However, Tr1 cell therapy is safe and effective for other immune diseases, suggesting its potential for treating T1D.

Fulminant type 1 diabetes with Shock rescue: a case report

The shock in diabetes often requires rapid and adequate fluid administration, however, we report an anomalous case of fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus (FT1DM) in which the patient's condition worsened following fluid administration. In May 2020, a 29-year-old male presented with blood glucose of 89.8 mmol/L and diabetic ketoacidosis after a week of gastroenteritis. The diagnosis was finalized after C-peptide and Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) measurement. The patient was admitted with shock and received a positive fluid balance of 2800 ml in 5 h, but his condition deteriorated and progressed to multi-organ failure. This study attempts to explain the possible mechanisms and focuses on high-risk factors associated with FT1DM. Therefore, meticulous monitoring and individualized fluid administration strategies are crucial for the management of FT1DM. This case provides beneficial insights for clinical treatment of this condition.

Prevalence and prognosis of fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus in The Middle East: a comparative analysis in a 5-year nationwide cohort

PURPOSE

To analyze the prevalence and progression of fulminant type 1 diabetes (FT1D) in Qatar.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed consecutive index- diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) admissions (2015-2020) among patients with new-onset T1D (NT1D) in Qatar.

RESULTS

Of the 242 patients, 2.5% fulfilled the FT1D diagnostic criteria. FT1D patients were younger (median-age 4-years vs.15-years in classic-T1D). Gender distribution in FT1D was equal, whereas the classic-T1D group showed a female predominance at 57.6% (n = 136). FT1D patients had a mean C-peptide of 0.11 ± 0.09 ng/ml, compared to 0.53 ± 0.45 ng/ml in classic-T1D. FT1D patients had a median length of stay (LOS) of 1 day (1-2.2) and a DKA duration of 11.25 h (11-15). The median (length of stay) LOS and DKA duration in classic-T1D patients were 2.5 days (1-3.9) and 15.4 h (11-23), respectively. The FT1D subset primarily consisted of moderate (83.3%) and severe 916.7%) DKA, whereas classic T1D had 25.4% mild, 60.6% moderate, and 14% severe DKA cases. FT1D was associated with a higher median white cell count (22.3 × 103/uL) at admission compared to classic T1D (10.6 × 103/uL). ICU admission was needed for 66.6% of FT1D patients, compared to 38.1% of classic-T1D patients. None of the patients in the FT1D group had mortality, while two died in the classic-T1D group.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study establishing the existence of FT1D in ME, which presented distinctively from classic-T1D, exhibiting earlier age onset and higher critical care requirements. However, the clinical outcomes in patients with FT1D seem similar to classic T1D.

Glycated albumin as a biomarker for diagnosis of diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Glycated albumin (GA), the non-enzymatic glycation product of albumin in plasma, became a glycemic marker in the beginning of the 21st century. The assay is not affected by hemoglobin levels and reflects the glycemic status over a shorter period as compared to HbA1c measurements. Thus, GA may contributes as an intermediate glucose index in the current diabetes mellitus (DM) diagnostic system.

AIM

To search and summarize the available data on glycated albumin measurements required for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

Databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), among others, were systematically searched. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool was applied for the assessment of quality, and the bivariate model was used to pool the sensitivity and specificity. The hierarchical summary receiver operator characteristic curves (HSROC) model was utilized to estimate the summary receiver operating characteristics curve (SROC). Sensitivity analysis was performed to investigate the association of the study design and patient characteristics with the test accuracy and meta-regression to find the source of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Three studies regarding gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and a meta-analysis of 16 non-GDM studies, comprising a total sample size of 12876, were included in the work. Results reveal that the average cut-off values of GA reported for the diagnosis of GDM diagnosis was much lower than those for non-GDM. For non-GDM cases, diagnosing DM with a circulating GA cut-off of 14.0% had a sensitivity of 0.766 (95%CI: 0.539, 0.901), specificity of 0.687 (95%CI: 0.364, 0.894), and area under the curve of 0.80 (95%CI: 0.76, 0.83) for the SROC. The estimated SROC at different GA cut-off values for non-GDM exhibited that the average location parameter lambda of 16 non-GDM studies was 2.354 (95%CI: 2.002, 2.707), and the scale parameter beta was -0.163 (95%CI: -0.614, 0.288). These non-GDM studies with various thresholds had substantial heterogeneity, which may be attributed to the type of DM, age, and body mass index as possible sources.

CONCLUSION

Glycated albumin in non-DM exhibits a moderate diagnostic accuracy. Further research on the diagnostic accuracy of GA for GDM and combinational measurements of GA and other assays is suggested.

Integrative Analyses of Genes Associated with Fulminant Type 1 Diabetes

Objective

Fulminant type 1 diabetes (FT1D) is a type of type 1 diabetes, which is characterized by rapid onset of disease and severe metabolic disorders. We intend to screen for crucial genes and potential molecular mechanisms in FT1D in this study.

Method

We downloaded GSE44314, which includes six healthy controls and five patients with FT1D, from the GEO database. Identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was performed by NetworkAnalyst. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of DEGs were screened by an online tool-Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integration Discovery (DAVID). Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and hub genes among DEGs were analyzed by NetworkAnalyst. And we also use NetworkAnalyst to find out the microRNAs (miRNAs) and transcription factors (TFs) which regulate the expression of DEGs.

Result

We identified 130 DEGs (60 upregulated and 70 downregulated DEGs) between healthy controls and FT1D patients. GO analysis results revealed that DEGs were mostly enriched in generation of precursor metabolites and energy, neurohypophyseal hormone activity, and mitochondrial inner membrane. KEGG pathway analysis demonstrated that DEGs were mostly involved in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Results indicated that NCOA1, SRF, ERBB3, EST1, TOP1, UBE2S, INO80, COX7C, ITGAV, and COX6C were the top hub genes in the PPI network. Furthermore, we recognized that LDLR, POTEM, IFNAR2, BAZ2A, and SRF were the top hub genes in the miRNA-target gene network, and SRF, TSPAN4, CD59, ETS1, and SLC25A25 were the top hub genes in the TF-target gene network.

Conclusion

Our study pinpoints key genes and pathways associated with FT1D by a sequence of bioinformatics analysis on DEGs. These identified genes and pathways provide more detailed molecular mechanisms of FT1D and may provide novel therapeutic targets.

Fulminant type 1 diabetes: A comprehensive review of an autoimmune condition

Fulminant type 1 diabetes (FT1D) is a subset of type 1 diabetes characterized by extremely rapid pancreatic β-cell destruction with aggressive progression of hyperglycaemia and ketoacidosis. It was initially classified as idiopathic type 1 diabetes due to the absence of autoimmune markers. However, subsequent studies provide evidences supporting the involvement of autoimmunity in rapid β-cell loss in FT1D pathogenesis, which are crucial for FT1D being an autoimmune disease. This article highlights the role of immunological aspects in FT1D according to the autoimmune-associated genetic background, viral infection, innate immunity, adaptive immunity, and pancreas histology.

Serum 1,5-Anhydroglucitol to Glycated Albumin Ratio Can Help Early Distinguish Fulminant Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus from Newly Onset Type 1A Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND

Fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus (FT1DM) onsets abruptly and usually occurs within 1 week after the onset of hyperglycemic symptoms. Glycated albumin (GA) and 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) are indicators that reflect short-term glucose levels. This study was aimed at investigating whether the 1,5-AG/GA index (AGI) is a suitable indicator for early FT1DM identification.

METHODS

A total of 226 subjects were enrolled, all with glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) < 8.7%. FT1DM was diagnosed based on the 2012 Japan Diabetes Society criteria.

RESULTS

The AGI level was 0.54 (0.17-1.36) in the whole group. It was lower in FT1DM patients (0.16 [0.10-0.25]). Among the participants whose HbA1c did not exceed 7.0%, the AGI of FT1DM decreased significantly compared to type 1A diabetes (T1ADM) and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) patients (0.16 [0.12-0.26] vs. 0.46 [0.24-0.72] vs. 0.46 [0.24-0.72] P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that AGI can be used to distinguish FT1DM and T1ADM patients with HbA1c < 8.7%. Diagnosing FT1DM based on AGI ≤ 0.3 only can help narrow down suspected FT1DM by up to 26.87%. If we diagnosed FT1DM when AGI was ≤0.3 and HbA1c was ≤7.0%, the success rate further increased to 86.57%, among which 85.00% of FT1DM and 87.23% of T1ADM patients were successfully identified. Therefore, using the combination criteria of AGI and HbA1c would improve the differential diagnosis efficacy by 61.11% compared with the AGI criterion only.

CONCLUSION

AGI can help facilitate the early differential diagnosis of FT1DM and T1ADM when HbA1c < 8.7%, with an optimal cut-off point of 0.3.

Co-existing of Neuromyelitis Optica and Fulminant Type 1 Diabetes

The patient was a 71-year-old woman with aquaporin-4-antibody positive neuromyelitis optica (NMO), with no history of diabetes. On admission, although she showed an extremely elevated plasma glucose level (1,080 mg/dL), her hemoglobin A1c level was low (7.1%), which indicated the rapid progression of diabetes. She also showed ketoacidosis and had a human leukocyte antigen haplotype, DRB1*09:01-DQB1*03:03 associated with Fulminant type 1 diabetes (FT1D). Based on these results, the patient was diagnosed with FT1D. We herein describe the first reported case of a patient with FT1D with NMO, which raises the possibility that T-cell-mediated autoimmunity is involved in the pathogenesis of both FT1D and NMO.

Impaired glucagon secretion in patients with fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus

PURPOSE

Fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus (FT1DM), characterized by rapid and almost complete destruction of pancreatic β-cells, is a newly identified subtype of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Although, the pathophysiology of this condition remains still unclear, histological evidence suggests that not only β-cells but also α-cells of pancreatic islets are reduced in number in FT1DM. However, the ability of glucagon secretion in patients with this condition has remained largely uncharacterized. We therefore examined glucagon secretion in patients with FT1DM and compared that with patients with other types of diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

Fasting glucagon levels as well as glucagon secretion induced by intravenous administration of arginine were measured in hospitalized 83 patients with diabetes mellitus, including 4 with FT1DM, 18 with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), 40 with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), 5 with slowly progressive insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (SPIDDM), and 16 with pancreatic diabetes mellitus (PDM).

RESULTS

The area under the curve for serum glucagon levels after arginine infusion in FT1DM patients was significantly smaller than that in T1DM, T2DM, or SPIDDM patients but was similar to that in PDM patients. The fasting serum glucagon level of FT1DM patients was lower than that of T1DM or T2DM patients but did not significantly differ from that of SPIDDM or PDM patients.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that glucagon secretion is impaired in patients with FT1DM.

A Case of Fulminant Type 1 Diabetes with Gastric and Urinary Retention

Fulminant type 1 diabetes (fT1D) is a severe subtype of type 1 diabetes which progresses rapidly with islet cells destroyed almost completely within a short period of time. It is often characterized by flu-like or gastrointestinal symptoms at the onset with negative islet-associated autoantibodies, resulting in an absolute deficiency of endogenous insulin secretion. Poor prognosis can be caused by the significantly higher incidence of metabolic disorders (such as severe ion disorders and elevated serum pancreatic enzymes), acute and chronic complications if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. We herein describe an fT1D patient with gastric and urinary retention along with severe ion disturbance, whose laboratory tests revealed diabetic ketoacidosis, peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, and hypoproteinemia.

Co-Occurrence of Multiple Endocrine Abnormalities Induced by the DIHS/DRESS

BACKGROUND

Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome/drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DIHS/DRESS) is a severe adverse reaction caused by specific drugs. However, little information is available about sequelae following DIHS/DRESS resolution from an endocrinologist's perspective. This study aimed to investigate the endocrine sequelae following DIHS/DRESS, from clinical feature to etiology.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the patients diagnosed with DIHS/DRESS in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) during the period of 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2017, and those who developed endocrine disorders after DIHS/DRESS were further examined. We also reviewed the literature, from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2017, on involvement of endocrine glands in DIHS/DRESS patients.

RESULTS

Three patients developed both autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) and type 1 diabetes (T1DM)/fulminant type 1 diabetes (FT1DM) of the 45 patients. Seven cases involving more than two endocrine glands were reported in the literature. Our results indicated that DIHS/DRESS is a potential etiological factor of autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome (APS), especially APS III.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients require careful long-term follow-up after DIHS/DRESS. Involvement of endocrine glands, especially FT1DM, should always be monitored in patients with a history of DIHS/DRESS. This study indicated that DIHS/DRESS could lead to APS, especially APS III, providing novel insights into the etiological factors of APS.

The diabetes pandemic and associated infections: suggestions for clinical microbiology

There are 425 million people with diabetes mellitus in the world. By 2045, this figure will grow to over 600 million. Diabetes mellitus is classified among noncommunicable diseases. Evidence points to a key role of microbes in diabetes mellitus, both as infectious agents associated with the diabetic status and as possible causative factors of diabetes mellitus. This review takes into account the different forms of diabetes mellitus, the genetic determinants that predispose to type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (especially those with possible immunologic impact), the immune dysfunctions that have been documented in diabetes mellitus. Common infections occurring more frequently in diabetic vs. nondiabetic individuals are reviewed. Infectious agents that are suspected of playing an etiologic/triggering role in diabetes mellitus are presented, with emphasis on enteroviruses, the hygiene hypothesis, and the environment. Among biological agents possibly linked to diabetes mellitus, the gut microbiome, hepatitis C virus, and prion-like protein aggregates are discussed. Finally, preventive vaccines recommended in the management of diabetic patients are considered, including the bacillus calmette-Guerin vaccine that is being tested for type 1 diabetes mellitus. Evidence supports the notion that attenuation of immune defenses (both congenital and secondary to metabolic disturbances as well as to microangiopathy and neuropathy) makes diabetic people more prone to certain infections. Attentive microbiologic monitoring of diabetic patients is thus recommendable. As genetic predisposition cannot be changed, research needs to identify the biological agents that may have an etiologic role in diabetes mellitus, and to envisage curative and preventive ways to limit the diabetes pandemic.

Plasma glucose to glycated hemoglobin ratio: Method of differentiating fulminant type 1 diabetes from diabetic ketoacidosis

OBJECTIVES

In fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus (fT1DM), plasma glucose (PG) levels are strongly increased, unlike glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1C) levels, resulting in a sharply increased PG/HbA_1C ratio. We investigated the PG/HbA_1C ratio in fT1DM and tested the accuracy of cutoff points to easily and efficiently differentiate fT1DM from diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

METHODS

We report 41 cases of fT1DM in which PG/HbA_1C ratio was studied as a novel clinical parameter to predict fT1DM. Clinical and biochemical characteristics were analyzed in 41 fT1DM and 51 DKA patients in China. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was used to identify PG/HbA_1C ratio cutoff points to differentiate fT1DM from DKA.

RESULTS

PG/HbA_1C ratio was significantly higher in fT1DM patients (7.24±2.49mmol/L/%; i.e., 0.88±0.36L/mol) than in DKA patients (2.60±0.69mmol/L/%; i.e., 0.06±0.01L/mol) (P<0.001). PG/HbA_1C ratio exceeded 4.2mmol/L/% (i.e., 0.6 l/mol) in 39 of the 41 fT1DM patients (95.1%), versus only 1 of the 51 DKA patients (1.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

PG/HbA_1C ratio is a simple tool that may be useful to identify DKA patients at high risk of fT1DM. PG/HbA_1C ratio with a threshold of≥4.2mmol/L/% (i.e., 0.6L/mol) can be adopted as a new clinical parameter in predicting fT1DM.

Clinical study of pregnancy-associated fulminant type 1 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Studies reported that fulminant type 1 diabetes (fT1DM) can occurred during pregnancy or within 2 weeks after delivery, and was defined as pregnancy-associated fulminant type 1 diabetes (PF). In PF patients, plasma glucose (PG) levels have an abrupt rise while glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1C) levels are not markedly elevated, resulting in a sharply increased PG/HbA_1C ratio.

METHODS

We studied 30 PF patients, 21 non-pregnant fulminant type 1 diabetes (NPF) patients, and 26 female patients of child-bearing age (13-49 years) with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), all from China. We analyzed the PG/HbA_1C ratio among these groups, with the goal of finding a method for predicting PF. The clinical and biochemical characteristics of the PF and NPF patients were analyzed and compared with the characteristics of the DKA patients. In order to detect PF in DKA patients, receiver-operating characteristic curves analysis was used to identify the cut-off points of the PG/HbA_1C ratio.

RESULTS

When we compared the clinical characteristics of these three groups, we found that the onset of hyperglycemic symptoms, arterial PH value, serum potassium, PG, HbA_1C, fasting and postprandial serum C-peptide concentration, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies positivity were all significantly different (P < 0.001). The PG/HbA_1C ratio was significantly higher in PF and NPF patients (5.29 ± 1.39 and 6.38 ± 2.62) than in DKA patients (1.93 ± 0.55; P < 0.001). Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves analyses showed that PG/HbA_1C ratio at a cut-off value of 3.3 resulted in the highest Youden index, with corresponding sensitivity of 93 and 100% specificity for identifying PF from DKA.

CONCLUSIONS

PF patients showed a more severe acidosis, with maternal and fetal mortality rates being high. PG/HbA_1C ratio with a threshold of ≥3.3 can be used as a cut-off point in predicting PF from DKA in China. Elevated PG/HbA_1C ratio at the time of diagnosis is predictive for more severe insulin secretion dysfunction and poor prognosis.