In 34 patients with type 1 diabetes manifested in postadolescent age (mean age at time of diagnosis 25 years, 18 women and 16 men) after the establishment of the diagnosis perspectively the presence of antibodies against thyroglobulin and the microsomal fraction and their relation to affection of the thyroid gland was investigated. During an investigation of 20% of the patients the authors provided repeatedly evidence of the presence of both antibodies, in 23% repeatedly only against microsomes. In 21% some antibodies were detected only once. In the course of the investigation in 65% of the patients thyroid antibodies were found. The clinically most serious affection of the thyroid gland (from the sonographic an functional aspect) was found in groups 1 an 2, while in groups 3 and 4 in the majority of patients the thyroid gland was not affected. A different pathogenesis of the disease in the above groups is suggested in the areas of DR and DQ during HLA typing, the behaviour of other antibodies and differences in dermatoglyphic examinations. Moreover there is a high ratio of women in the first two groups (61%) and conversely of men in groups 3 and 4. In the discussion attention is drawn to the different course of diabetes in patients with thyroid autoimmunity.

Keywords: Adult; Autoantibodies /analysis/; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 /immunology/; Female; Humans; Male; Microsomes /immunology/; Thyroglobulin /immunology/; Thyroid Gland /immunology/