
February 12, 2000
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Los Angeles, California, USA:
If a person has one autoimmune disorder (Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism in my case), is she more likely to develop diabetes? Does that chance increase if, like me, a sibling has Type 1?
Answer:
If you have Hashimoto’s disease you are more likely to get another autoimmune condition, though in the case of Type�1A autoimmune diabetes it is usually the first component to appear. Other less common conditions in this category are the coeliac syndrome and adrenal gland insufficiency, which are easy to screen for as anti transglutaminase and anti 21-hydroxylase antibodies. The inclusive risk for Type 1A Diabetes in a sibling is about 5%; but it diminishes with age and is very uncommon after 20.
DOB