The incidence of gastric and thyroid autoimmunity in insulin-dependent greek diabetic patients

The prevalence of antibodies against parietal cell cytoplasm, intrinsic factor, and thyroid cell cytoplasm was studied in 500 insulin-dependent Greek diabetics and 300 normal control subjects. All three antibodies were found to be significantly increased in the diabetic group. The incidence of antibodies increased with age and was higher in female diabetics. Greek diabetic patients have an incidence of intrinsic factor antibody similar to that found in other European diabetics but higher than that reported in Indian diabetics.