A girl with type 1 diabetes and a yellowish appearance

BMJ Case Rep. 2010 Nov 26:2010:bcr0420102899. doi: 10.1136/bcr.04.2010.2899.

Abstract

Type 1 diabetes mellitus in children has been associated with other autoimmune diseases, especially coeliac disease and autoimmune thyroiditis. This association may be the result of a common pathogenic background. We describe the case of a girl with type 1 diabetes mellitus who developed icterus due to autoimmune hepatitis, a disease rarely found in children. Thyroiditis-associated and diabetes-associated autoantibodies were also present. Human leucocyte antigen typing revealed DRB1*03 heterozygosity, which has been associated with the occurrence of both autoimmune hepatitis and type 1 diabetes. This finding implies that similar pathogenic pathways may be involved in different autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes and autoimmune hepatitis. The patient was successfully treated with prednisolone and azathioprine. Autoimmune hepatitis can be a serious co-occurring disease in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Autoantibodies / blood
  • Azathioprine / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / diagnosis*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / drug therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / genetics
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Genetic Carrier Screening
  • HLA-DRB1 Chains / genetics
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / diagnosis*
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / drug therapy
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / genetics
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Insulin / therapeutic use
  • Jaundice / drug therapy
  • Jaundice / etiology*
  • Jaundice / genetics
  • Prednisolone / therapeutic use
  • Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / diagnosis
  • Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / drug therapy
  • Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / genetics

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Autoantibodies
  • HLA-DRB1 Chains
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Insulin
  • Prednisolone
  • Azathioprine