The Development of Type 1 Diabetes - Research Paper Example

The Development of Type I Diabetes Introduction Type diabetes, which is referred to as juvenile diabetes due to its onset at an early age as well as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus owing to the medical need for insulin, has been often deemed as an autoimmune disease. Such autoimmune diseases are known to be an overactive response of the body’s immune system against certain tissues and substances found in the body as well. Therefore, the body attacks its own cells. In the United States, statistics have indicated that almost a million individuals have been affected with type 1 diabetes with which majority of these had been diagnosed with such disease during their first twenty years of life. However, it has also been recognized that there is an increasing number of older individuals who have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as well. There have also been contradictory findings in past research that has brought ambiguity in the current literature on the development of type 1 diabetes. As such, this paper will then examine the development of type 1 diabetes, particularly its underlying causes, to further examine the gap between the representations of diabetes development in the media and the actual studies carried out by researchers. This can then help bring clarity to the factors that contribute to the development of type 1 diabetes. Methods and Overview of Articles A secondary research was carried out to collect journal articles and news sources with which online databases and search engines were utilized. A number of keywords were used, such as “overview of type 1 diabetes”, “development of type 1 diabetes”, and “causes of type 1 diabetes”. Three journal articles and three news articles were gathered and all these were published not older than the year 2000. While a number of articles had been taken from the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Diabetes Care, and Diabetes, the media sources were drawn from a number of online publications as well, such as WebMD Health News, Medical News Today, and Genetic Health. Both the journal articles and media sources presented aimed to look into the development of type 1 diabetes, particularly the contributing factors to its onset. In the study of Notkins and Lernmark (2001), although they were able to conclude that type 1 diabetes was an autoimmune disease, it was noted that there are still unresolved issues that should be addressed in future research such as the environmental triggers for such condition. The study of Hypponen et al. (2000) focused more on the link between obesity and the development of type 1 diabetes among young individuals with which a significant relationship was found. In the research of Gale (2002), it was concluded that type 1 diabetes can be a partly preventable condition. The news presented in the media sources were somehow similar to the assertions of the journal articles which emphasized the relationship of type 1 diabetes with genes, lifestyle, and other environmental factors. The article taken from Medical News Today in 2008 presented information on the link between increased risk of type 1 diabetes and high birth weight and/or early weight gain. Similarly, Boyles (2003) of WebMD Health News asserted that obesity plays a significant role in the development of type 1 diabetes among young individuals. Finally, Adams (n.d.) from Genetic Health noted that type 1 diabetes development or the risks associated with such condition can be caused by 20 different genes. Among these various articles, the most common findings pointed out to the role of genes and lifestyle in developing type 1 diabetes among young individuals. Results Journal Articles The first article presented a comprehensive literature review with which very specific information was provided regarding type 1 diabetes and the unresolved issues concerning its prediction, onset, and treatment. In particular, they discussed the contributing factors to the disease and their indications with a focus on auto-antibodies. All in all, they gave a well-structured and clearly explained background on these components and their effects on type 1 diabetes development. As they presented in the literature review, the main cause of type 1 diabetes is the lack of insulin brought about by the destruction of pancreatic beta cells. During the experience of clinical symptoms, 60 to 80% of the beta cells are being destroyed. Based on the reviewed studies, findings indicated that there is a relationship between auto-antibodies and type 1 diabetes. Estimates of 80% of those who have been newly diagnosed with type1 diabetes possess auto-antibodies to GAD65. Almost the same number of patients possesses auto-antibodies to IA-2. All in all, there were a smaller number of patients who possessed insulin auto-antibodies due to a definite age effect. Children who were newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes were shown to have a higher frequency of insulin anti-bodies compared to adolescents/teenagers. While some patients carried auto-antibodies to only one major auto-antigen, others can have a reaction to all three. In patients who are newly diagnosed, it was likely that 90% of them possessed auto-antibodies who reacted to one or more of such antigens. All in all, aside from age, the duration of diabetes and ethnic origin also contributed to the positivity. The purpose of the second journal article by Hypponen et al. (2000) aimed to examine the effects of obesity and linear growth on the development of type 1 diabetes. The population used for the study consisted of diabetic children in Finland who were 15 years old or younger with which the total sample was comprised of 586 diabetic and 571 control subjects, hence 18,823 observations for paired height and weight. A large sample size can help increase the reliability of the findings as well as their applicability on other populations. According to findings, both the girls and boys who have developed type 1 diabetes had been heavier and taller during their childhood compared to the control subjects. 10% increase in relative weight had been linked with a 50% increase as well as in the risk for developing type 1 diabetes before reaching 3 years of age along with a 20 to 40% increase from 3 to 10 years old. Children who were considered obese after 3 years of age are likely to be linked to a double risk for type 1 diabetes development. In the journal article of Gale (2002), emphasis was placed on the incidence trends of type 1 diabetes over the past 40 years. A qualitative approach was used with which the author gathered information on the causes of the onset of type 1 diabetes among children. It was assumed that the number of young individuals with genetic predisposition to beta cell injury has not changed over the years. However, the increased prevalence of such condition over the recent years can be attributed to other initiating factors that these individuals encounter during early childhood. The timing exposure to viruses and the loss of protective factors from the childhood environment may have contributed to such increased number of children having type 1 diabetes. Moreover, lack of exposure to infective agents during early childhood can trigger harmful patterns of immune response, contributing to the development of type 1 diabetes. Media Articles For the media articles, the first document drawn from Medical News Today noted that there has been a significant increase in the number of children who have developed type 1 insulin dependent diabetes in Finland. Such onset has been attributed to a number of genetics and lifestyle-related factors. In particular, early weight gain during infancy or a heavy weight during birth has been linked to the development of type 1 diabetes among children. The number of overweight and obese children over the past ten years in Finland has considerably increased; for instance, the proportion of overweight children between 5 and 15 years increased from 9.5% in the 1980s to almost 20% in 2008. Consequently, a corresponding decrease in birth weight emphasizes such increase in obesity. Such influences may affect the penetration of genes which have already been found in the population. Similarly, Boyles (2003) of WebMD Medical News suggested that it is possible for obesity to trigger type 1 diabetes even among individuals who have not been expected to get the disease. This was proposed when the author looked into a study which made use of 94 children aged 1 to 16 years old with which a positive relationship was found between their weight and their age during the time they were diagnosed of diabetes. Finally, the article from Genetic Health presented information on type 1 diabetes and its inheritance patterns with which the author noted that there are numerous genes that can influence the risk of an individual. Owing to the wide range of genes, such disease is not inherited by means of a dominant manner. Rather, an individual may possess one gene which can increase his risk along with other genes that may decrease his risk. Together with other environmental factors, the HLA region, insulin genes, and other genes can help ascertain an individual’s risk for developing type 1 diabetes. On the whole, the journal articles and media documents presented similar notions, particularly the role that genes and environmental factors play in the development of type 1 diabetes. Therefore, it can be recommended that researchers should further identify other gene mutations which put individuals at risk for type 1 diabetes. Despite considerable research on such mutations, people who have low risk genes may still develop diabetes, hence the need for additional research. A more effective course of action for the prevention of diabetes is also of great importance. Clearly, new ideas will play a relevant role to hinder the acceleration of diabetes prevalence among young individuals. References Adams, A. (n.d.). Genes can cause type 1 diabetes. Genetic Health. Retrieved Nov. 22, 2011, from http://www.genetichealth.com/dbts_genetics_of_type_1_diabetes.shtml Boyles, S. (2003). Obesity linked to type 1 diabetes. WebMD Health News. Retrieved Nov. 22, 2011, from http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20030926/obesity-linked-to-type-1-diabetes Gale, E. (2002). The rise of childhood type 1 diabetes in the 20th century. Diabetes, 51, 3353-3361. Hypponen, E., Virtanen, S., Kenward, M., Knip, M., and Akerblom, H. (2000). Obesity, increased linear growth, and risk of type 1 diabetes in children. Diabetes Care, 23 (12), 1755-1760. Medical News Today (2008). Type 1 diabetes in finnish children skyrockets. Retrieved Nov. 23, 2011, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/108647.php Notkins, L.A., and Lernmark, A. (2001). Autoimmune type 1 diabetes: resolved and unresolved issues. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 108 (9), 1247-1252. Read More