Link Between Islet Autoimmunity and Pancreatic Exocrine Function Examined

According to a new study, pancreatic exocrine function defects follow the development of islet autoimmunity among newly diagnosed pediatric diabetes patients. This was discovered after researchers followed a group of 106 children with and without diabetes. They found that pancreatic exocrine dysfunction develops throughout the progression of islet autoimmunity. During the study, 41 participants developed diabetes in the observation period.

These results suggest that defects in pancreatic exocrine function may develop after the initiation of islet cell autoimmunity. It could be related to disease pathogenesis rather than an inherited genetic predisposition.

These findings were published in Pediatric Diabetes on October 17, 2017.