Relationship between autoantibodies combination, metabolic syndrome components and diabetic complications in autoimmune diabetes in adults

The aim of our study was to establish the possible association between double or triple antibody positivity and latent autoimmune diabetes (LADA) phenotype in the context of metabolic syndrome (MS) prevalence and its individual components. This cross-sectional study population comprised 69 islet cell antibody-positive patients coming for their comprehensive annual review. They were divided into three groups according to antibody positivity. Twenty-five (36.2 %) were male, mean age of 51 years with disease duration of 8 years. Twenty-eight (40.58 %) were positive only for GAD Abs, 26 (37.68 %) were positive for ICA and GAD Abs and 15 (21.74 %) were positive for GAD, ICA, and IA2 Abs. The lowest value of waist circumference, MS, and artherial hypertension prevalence was found in the group positive for all three antibodies. In the multinomial multivariate logistic regression model, MS was negatively associated with triple Abs positivity compared to single Ab positivity and double Abs positivity. Our results highlight the importance of inverse association between simultaneous Abs positivity for ICA, GAD, and IA2 with the MS and its components present in LADA patients. This inverse relationship might implicate that LADA patients are phenotypically closer to T1DM. The contribution of IA2 Ab positivity merits is to be considered in the determination of LADA phenotypes, while its diagnostic value needs to be clarified in future follow-up studies.