More than kin, less than kind: one family and the many faces of diabetes in youth

Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Dec;61(6):637-642. doi: 10.1590/2359-3997000000312.

Abstract

Identification of the correct etiology of diabetes brings important implications for clinical management. In this report, we describe a case of a 4-year old asymptomatic girl with diabetes since age 2, along with several individuals in her family with different etiologies for hyperglycemia identified in youth. Genetic analyses were made by Sanger sequencing, laboratory measurements included HbA1c, lipid profile, fasting C-peptide, pancreatic auto-antibodies (glutamic acid decarboxylase [GAD], Islet Antigen 2 [IA-2], and anti-insulin). We found a Gly178Ala substitution in exon 5 of GCK gene in three individuals co-segregating with diabetes, and type 1 diabetes was identified in two other individuals based on clinical and laboratory data. One individual with previous gestational diabetes and other with prediabetes were also described. We discuss difficulties in defining etiology of hyperglycemia in youth in clinical practice, especially monogenic forms of diabetes, in spite of the availability of several genetic, laboratory, and clinical tools.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diabetes Mellitus / classification
  • Diabetes Mellitus / genetics*
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Genetic Testing
  • Genotype
  • Germinal Center Kinases
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-alpha / genetics*
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation
  • Pedigree
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics*

Substances

  • Germinal Center Kinases
  • HNF1A protein, human
  • HNF4A protein, human
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-alpha
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases