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Community child health, public health, and epidemiology
Environmental risk factors for type 1 diabetes in Rome and province
  1. N Visalli1,
  2. L Sebastiani2,
  3. E Adorisio2,
  4. A Conte2,
  5. A L De Cicco2,
  6. R D’Elia2,
  7. S Manfrini1,
  8. P Pozzilli1,
  9. the IMDIAB Group
  1. 1Unit of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Interdisciplinary Centre for Biomedical Research, University Campus Bio-Medico
  2. 2Institute of Public Health, University of Rome “La Sapienza”
  1. Correspondence to:
    Prof. P Pozzilli, Università Campus Biomedico, Via Longoni 83, 00155 Rome, Italy;
    p.pozzilli{at}unicampus.it

Abstract

Background: In subjects genetically susceptible to type 1 diabetes, exposure to environmental factors during the gestational period, the neonatal period, and the first years of life is thought to play an important role in triggering the immune process leading to β cell destruction.

Aims: To investigate risk factors for inhabitants of continental Italy.

Methods: A case-control study of 150 type 1 diabetes cases and 750 control subjects (age range 6–18 years) was carried out in Rome and its province, measuring the exposure to environmental risk factors.

Results: Three environmental factors were found to occur significantly more in the diabetic group than in the controls. During the mothers’ pregnancies, the one risk factor which proved to be higher in diabetics than in controls was maternal infectious disease. During the neonatal period, no risk factors associated with the disease were detected. During early life, eczema and a short duration of breast feeding (less than three months), occurred significantly more in diabetic cases than controls.

Conclusion: Eczema and breast feeding for less than three months are risk factors for type 1 diabetes in a southern European population. The type, duration, and mode of treatment for infectious diseases during pregnancy need additional investigation as risk factors for type 1 diabetes.

  • type 1 diabetes
  • cows milk
  • breast feeding
  • infectious diseases

https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.88.8.695

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    Footnotes

    • IMDIAB GROUP: Paolo Pozzilli, Natalia Visalli, Silvia Manfrini, Elvira Fioriti, Giusy Coppolino, Luciana Valente, Chiara Guglielmi, Giuseppina Beretta Anguissola, Flavia Costanza, Anna Lisa Montemari, Maria C Matteoli, Patrizia Patera, Antonio Crinò, Stefania Corbi, Sabrina Spera, Concetta Suraci, Marco Cervoni, Anna Cantagallo, Giancarlo De Mattia, Maria R Cassone Faldetta, Maria L Manca Bitti, Giovanni Marietti, Federica Ferrazzoli, Carla Bizzarri, Dario Pitocco, Giovanni Ghirlanda