RESUMO
The aim of the present work was to demonstrate the presence of the traditional islet cell related autoantibodies in the diabetic patients with and without long term complications and to identify relevant predisposing markers of pre-clinical diabetic complications. There was a significant difference [P 0.001] between the percentage of islet cell autoantibodies [ICA], glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies [GAD-Ab], and insulin autoantibodies [IAA] positive subjects in the diabetic groups and their matched control and potential groups. Type-1 diabetic groups had a higher percentage [P.0.05] of subjects positive for ICA, GAD-Ab, and IAA than Type-2 diabetic groups. The concentration of ICA in the studied population strongly correlated with the duration of the disease [r=0.705, p 0.05]. There was no significant difference [P>0.05] between the percentage of islet cell antigen-2 autoantibodies [IA2-Ab] positive subjects in the different groups of diabetic population and their control. In conclusion the traditional islet cell antibodies have a role in the detection and development of diabetes especially Type-1 rather than the long-term complications. Other more specific autoantibodies and immune responses, which were not studied, may have a role in the etiology and pre-clinical appearance of these chronic complications. KeyWords: Diabetes,Autoantibodies, Complications