Slowly progressive type 1 diabetes and female sex as associated factors for pancreatic abnormalities on diagnostic imaging indicating precancerous potential.

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to identify factors associated with pancreatic abnormal findings on imaging (PAI) suggesting precancerous potential between slowly progressive type 1 diabetes and acute-onset type 1 diabetes.

Research design and methods: The study was designed to identify factors associated with PAI using data from a nationwide cohort, the Japanese Type 1 Diabetes Database. Clinical factors, including sex, age, type of diabetes onset, diabetes duration, body mass index, and human leucocyte antigen genotypes associated with type 1 diabetes, were evaluated.

Results: Among 279 patients with type 1 diabetes, 95 patients who had not undergone imaging evaluations, two patients with pancreatic lipomatosis, and 15 patients with missing data were excluded. Finally, a total of 167 patients with type 1 diabetes were analyzed. Among 13 patients who were identified as PAI positive, female sex (92.3% vs 53.2%, p=0.007), slowly progressive type 1 diabetes (69.2% vs 36.4%, p=0.034), and older age were more common compared with PAI-negative cases. The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that female sex (OR 13.87; 95% CI 1.6 to 120.1; p=0.017), slowly progressive type 1 diabetes (OR 5.70; 95% CI 1.46 to 22.19; p=0.012), and age (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.002 to 1.103; p=0.043) were independently associated with PAI positivity.

Conclusions: The findings indicate that slowly progressive type 1 diabetes and female sex are closely associated with PAI, along with age. These results suggest the need for increased clinical vigilance for pancreatic pathology in patients with slowly progressive type 1 diabetes.