Blue eyes as a risk factor for type 1 diabetes

Background A high frequency of blue eyes and fair skin are reported in northern European Caucasians with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Also there is an inverse relationship between latitude and T1D incidence. We determined whether iris colour and skin pigmentation are risk factors in a Caucasian population...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews 2011-09, Vol.27 (6), p.609-613
Main Authors: Di Stasio, Enrico, Maggi, Daria, Berardesca, Enzo, Marulli, Georgiana Clare, Bizzarri, Carla, Lauria, Angelo, Portuesi, Rosalba, Cavallo, Maria Gisella, Costantino, Francesco, Buzzetti, Raffaella, Astorri, Elisa, Pitocco, Dario, Songini, Marco, Pozzilli, Paolo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - epidemiology
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - genetics
European Continental Ancestry Group - genetics
Eye Color - genetics
Female
Humans
Italy - epidemiology
latitude
Male
Mediterranean Region
Risk Factors
Skin Pigmentation
skin type
type 1 diabetes
type 1 diabetes risk
vitamin D
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Background A high frequency of blue eyes and fair skin are reported in northern European Caucasians with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Also there is an inverse relationship between latitude and T1D incidence. We determined whether iris colour and skin pigmentation are risk factors in a Caucasian population living in two Mediterranean regions located at the same latitude with higher ultraviolet B irradiance, but with different T1D incidence. Methods We studied iris colour in 281 consecutive subjects with T1D and 298 controls. Skin type was evaluated by melanin quantification. Results In Lazio, blue eyes and fair skin type are significantly more common in T1D subjects than in controls (21 versus 9%, p = 0.002; 50 versus 35%, p < 0.001, respectively). In Sardinia, the frequency of blue eyes in T1D subjects is twice that in controls (5.8 versus 2.6% and significantly higher when compared to the expected calculated frequency in the entire population). By logistic regression analysis, only blue eyes are independent and significant predictors of T1D [odds ratio for blue eyes = 2.2; 95% confidence interval (1.1–4.4), p = 0.019]. Conclusions As previously shown in a Caucasian population from northern Europe, blue eyes and a trend for fair skin increase the risk for T1D also in a Caucasian population born and residing in a Mediterranean region (Continental Italy). This finding may be relevant for explaining different T1D incidence as prevalence of blue eyes differ substantially between northern and southern European Caucasians. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ISSN:1520-7552
1520-7560
DOI:10.1002/dmrr.1214