Nearly two-thirds (65%) of children and young adults in sub-Saharan Africa with type 1 diabetes do not show the disease’s typical traits, such as signs that the immune system is attacking the pancreas (autoimmunity). Based on this finding, researchers from the United Kingdom, Cameroon, Uganda, and South Africa identified a new, non-autoimmune subtype not included in current global classifications, suggesting that many patients may need to update their diagnosis in order to receive the most appropriate treatment. The results come from a study of nearly 900 people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before the age of 30. To see whether this new subtype exists outside Africa, the team also analyzed data from more than 3,000 children from the US. The subtype was found in a small number of African American children and was absent among white participants, suggesting ancestral factors (The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, July 21).
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