BACKGROUNDGlutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GADA) and protein tyrosine phosphatase antibody (IA-2A) are two major autoantibodies, which exert important roles in the process of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). Our study aimed to investigate the changes in positivity and titers of GADA and IA-2A during the course of Chinese acute-onset T1D patients and their relationships with clinical features.

METHODSTwo hundreds and forty-seven Chinese newly diagnosed acute-onset T1D patients were consecutively recruited. GADA and IA-2A were detected at the time of diagnosis, one year later, 3-5 years later after diagnosis during the follow-up; all the clinical data were recorded and analyzed as well.

RESULTSDuring the course of acute-onset T1D, the majority of patients remained stable for GADA or IA-2A, however, a few patients changed from positivity to negativity and fewer patients converted from negativity to positivity. The prevalence of GADA was 56.3% at diagnosis, decreasing to 50.5% one year later, and 43.3% 3-5 years later while the corresponding prevalence of IA-2A were 32.8%, 31.0% and 23.3%, respectively. The median GADA titers were 0.0825 at diagnosis, declining to 0.0585 one year later and 0.0383 3-5 years later (P < 0.001), while the corresponding median titers were 0.0016, 0.0010, 0.0014 for IA-2A, respectively. Fasting C-peptide (FCP) and postprandial C-peptide 2 hours (PCP2h) levels of GADA or IA-2A negativity persistence patients were higher than those of positivity persistence and negativity conversion patients (P < 0.05) which indicated GADA or IA-2A negativity persistence T1D patients had a less loss of β cell function.

CONCLUSIONOur data suggest that repeated detection of GADA and IA-2A are necessary for differential diagnosis of autoimmune diabetes and the indirect prediction of the β cell function in Chinese patients.