Islet autoimmunity in young First Nations women with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

2025-10-29

Wicks, Mary

Wood, Anna

Titmuss, Angela

Shaw, Jonathan

Wentworth, John

Colman, Peter

Brown, Alex

Maple-Brown, Louise

Barr, Elizabeth M

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia. Electronic address: Mary.wicks@menzies.edu.au.

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia; Department of Endocrinology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT, Australia. Electronic address: Anna.wood@menzies.edu.au.

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT, Australia. Electronic address: Angela.titmuss@menzies.edu.au.

Clinical and Population Health, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: Jonathan.shaw@baker.edu.au.

Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: John.wentworth@mh.org.au.

Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: peter.colman@mh.org.au.

National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Indigenous Genomics, Telethon Kids Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia. Electronic address: Alex.brown@anu.edu.au.

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia; Department of Endocrinology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT, Australia. Electronic address: Louise.maple-brown@menzies.edu.au.

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia; Clinical and Population Health, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: Elizabeth.barr@menzies.edu.au.

3Screen

First Nations

Islet autoimmunity

Prediabetes

Type 2 diabetes

Journal Article

Publication

AIMS: Type 1 diabetes in First Nations peoples is low yet type 2 diabetes is at epidemic proportions. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of islet autoimmunity in First Nations women with dysglycaemia and its association with clinical features. METHODS: One hundred and eighty First Nations women with prediabetes (n = 51) or type 2 diabetes (n = 129) were screened for any of GAD, IA-2 and ZnT8 autoantibodies using 3Screen ELISA, then ELISA for individual autoantibodies for positive screens. Associations between individual antibody positivity and clinical and metabolic characteristics were assessed. RESULTS: Of the 180 women, 16% were positive on 3Screen, comprising 10/51 with prediabetes and 18/129 with diabetes. Sixteen of 28 positive on 3Screen were also positive for at least one individual autoantibody on ELISA testing; with 5/51 (10%) with prediabetes and 11/129 (9%) with diabetes. Individual autoantibody positivity was not associated with clinical and metabolic characteristics or markers of inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of individual autoantibody positivity among younger First Nations women with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes was 9%. Islet autoantibody positivity was not associated with a distinct clinical phenotype in this group. Longitudinal follow-up will allow assessment of glycaemic trajectories and clinical outcomes in younger First Nations women.

link

Diabetes Res Clin Pract . 2025 Oct 29:112977. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2025.112977. Online ahead of print.

1872-8227

1872-8227

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41173196/?otool=iaurydwlib