Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2012) 29 P595

ICEECE2012 Poster Presentations Diabetes (248 abstracts)

Comparative incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus in school-aged children between immigrated families and the background population living in Piedmont or in Morocco, 2005–2009: a role for vitamin D?

S. Savastio 1 , F. Prodam 1 , A. Perino 1 , A. Balafrej 2 , A. Monzani 1 , R. Lera 3 , F. Fontana 4 , F. Cerutti 1, , G. Bona 1 & F. Cadario 1


1University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy; 2Children’s Hospital, Rabat, Morocco; 3Ospedale Infantile Cesare Arrigo, Alessandria, Italy; 4Ospedale Civile SS Antonio e Margherita, Tortona, Italy; 5University of Turin, Torino, Italy.


Introduction: The aim was to compare the incidence of type 1 diabetes between immigrant Moroccan and Romanian children and background population in Piedmont, Italy, and between Moroccan children living in Italy and their counterpart in Morocco.

Patients and methods: All new cases of type 1 diabetes aged 6–13 years in Piedmont and Morocco in 2005–2009 were retrieved by regional registries. Numbers of children regularly registered to primary and middle school were chosen as reference population to bypass the demographic impasse of irregular immigration. Skin phenotype and vitamin D levels were evaluated in diabetic and healthy, Moroccan and Italian children, living in Piedmont or in Morocco. Incidence rates and their ratios were calculated.

Results: Increased incidence rates in brown skinned Moroccan children living in Piedmont (44.8, 95% CI 25.6–71.6) were recorded respect to white skinned Italian and Romanian children in Piedmont (16.8, 95% CI 14.7–19.1 and 9.1, 95% CI 2.4–22.5) and Moroccan children in Morocco (10.2, 95% CI 9.0–11.6). Moroccan children living in Piedmont had a higher risk to develop type 1 diabetes respect to the Italian population (incidence rate ratios, 2.663, 95% CI 1.858–4.897). Lower vitamin D levels were associated with type 1 diabetes in children living in Piedmont, but not in those living in Morocco.

Conclusions: The Moroccan origin is a strong determinant of type 1 diabetes in immigrant children living in Piedmont, with brown skin as one of the major risk factors for the disease. Vitamin D status could play a role in type 1 diabetes onset in immigrant brown skinned population living in the Northern part of the Mediterranean area.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.

Volume 29

15th International & 14th European Congress of Endocrinology

European Society of Endocrinology 

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