Perinatal risk factors increase the risk of being affected by both type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease

Acta Paediatr. 2015 Feb;104(2):178-84. doi: 10.1111/apa.12836. Epub 2014 Nov 6.

Abstract

Aim: This study investigated whether perinatal factors influenced the risk of a double diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease.

Methods: We used multinomial logistic regression models to study the associations between perinatal factors, gender, mode of delivery, season of birth and the risk of type 1 diabetes, coeliac disease or both, in Swedish-born singleton children.

Results: We found that 4327 of the 768 395 children (0.6%) had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, 3817 (0.5%) had been diagnosed with coeliac disease and 191 (0.02%) were affected by both diseases. If the children already had type 1 diabetes (n = 4518), the absolute risk of being affected by coeliac disease increased to 4.2% (n = 191). Children with both type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease were more likely to be female (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.01-1.97), delivered by Caesarean section (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.07-2.39), have native-born Swedish mothers (OR = 4.84, 95% CI = 1.96-11.97) or be born during the summer months (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.07-1.92).

Conclusion: The increased risk of being affected by a double diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease was modulated by perinatal risk factors. This suggests that early life events are important when it comes to children with type 1 diabetes also developing coeliac disease.

Keywords: Caesarean section; Coeliac disease; Epidemiology; Risk factors; Type 1 diabetes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Celiac Disease / complications
  • Celiac Disease / epidemiology*
  • Cesarean Section / adverse effects
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / complications
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Pregnancy
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Seasons
  • Sweden / epidemiology
  • Young Adult