Autoantibodies Associated with Diabetes Mellitus in Nigerian Subjects Resident in Port-Harcourt Metropolis

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the autoantibodies associated with diabetes mellitus among diabetics in Port- Harcourt of Rivers State, Nigeria

Study Design: This study is a cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at Chemical Pathology Department, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, between December, 2019 and February, 2020.

Methodology: A total of 244 subjects, both male and females, 132 subjects 112 controls, aged within 30-70 years. Five (5) ml of blood sample for Islet cell cytoplasm autoantibodies (ICA), Glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GADA), Insulinoma-associated-2 autoantibodies (1A-2A) and zinc transporter 8 autoantibodies (ZnT8A), were collected serum obtained was analyzed using Enzyme-linked immunoasorbent assay. Data were analyzed statistically with SPSS version 22.0 and value considered significant at p≤ 0.05.

Results: The mean ± S.D of serum ICA were 4.48± 2.18u/ml (control) and 14.91±11.11 u/ml (subject), GADA value were 0.99 ± 0.22u/ml(control) and 1.78 ±0.77u/ml (subjects), IA-2A values were 3.83±1.56 u/ml (control) and 4.20±3.26u/ml and ZnT8A values were 5.61±4.29u/ml (control) and 6.02±3.80u/ml (subjects). The comparison of mean showed significant difference at p=0.0001 for ICA but no significant differences observed GADA, IA-2A and ZnT8A at p=0.152, p=0.595 and p=0.686 respectively.

Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus patient with positive ICA, GADA and IA-2A autoantibodies, higher HbA1c and lower C-peptide suggest an autoimmune or intracellular damage of beta-cells in T2DM and need for insulin dependence or progression to LADA.