Stress and social factors in relation to risk for type 1 diabetes

• Background. Previous studies have shown controversial results regmding conelation between social status and risk for Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Stress and infections have been shown to increase risk for Type 1 DM. We looked upon these factors in relation to risk for Type 1 DM in two countries, where incidence of the disease is very different.Methods. Data from 0-15 years old 517 children (268 boys and 249 girls) in South-East of Sweden and 286 children (133 boys and 153 girls) in Lithuania with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus were included into analysis. Three age and sex matched healthy controls were randomly selected. Response rate in control families in Sweden was 72.9% and in Lithuania 94.8%. Information was collected via questionnaires.Results. Psychosocial stress and infections were risk factors for developing Type 1 DM in both countries (in Sweden OR 1.34, CI 1.01-1.79 and 1.99, CI 1.61-2.46 respectively, and in Lithuania 2.29, CI 1.59-3.32 and 1.82, CI 1.36-2.43, respectively). High social mixing of the mothers was also increasing risk for diabetes for the children in both countries (OR 1.32, CI 1.03-1.70 in Sweden and 1.45, CI 1.03-2.04 in Lithuania). Mother's age over 30 years at birth was a protective factor in Sweden (OR 0.66, CI 0.53-0.84), whereas in Lithuania it was a risk factor (OR 1.53, CI 1.14-2.06).Conclusious. Psychosocial stress and infections are uniform risk factors, despite the various rate of incidence in the country. Other factors have more complex influence on the risk for diabetes.

Nyckelord

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)