GAD65 and ICA512 antibodies in undernourished and normally nourished south Indian patients with diabetes.

The frequency of GAD65 and ICA512 antibodies in Indian IDDM patients is similar to that in Caucasians. The aim of the study was to test whether undernutrition is associated with autoimmunity as evidenced by increased or decreased autoantibody formation in both clinically diagnosed IDDM and NIDDM patients from south India. The prevalence of GAD65 and ICA512 autoantibodies in controls from south India was 4% and 2%, respectively. One hundred thirty-one diabetic patients (undernourished [UNDM], n = 67; and normal nourished [NNDM], n = 64) were assayed for GAD65 and ICA512 autoantibodies. None were obese. All patients were new onset or with duration <5 years. GAD65 autoantibodies were present in 73/131 (55%), and ICA512 antibodies were present in 43/131 (33%) of patients. The results suggest that GAD65 and ICA512 antibody frequencies are neither significantly increased nor decreased in UNDM patients compared to NNDM patients. In addition, the increased frequency of autoantibodies among NIDDM compared to IDDM in both nutrition groups suggests high prevalence of slow-onset IDDM. In conclusion, undernutrition does not predispose to autoimmunity in south Indian diabetic patients.