Epidemiologic Approach to the Etiology of Type I Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications

Abstract

DIABETES arises through two etiologically distinct routes.¹ Type I diabetes is the result of immunologically mediated destruction of the pancreatic beta cells, and usually requires replacement therapy with insulin. Type II appears to result from a combination of alterations in insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion. It can be treated with dietary therapy or oral hypoglycemic agents, and infrequently requires exogenous insulin. In this seminar we will focus on the use of epidemiologic data to develop and test hypotheses about the cause of Type I diabetes and its complications.Incorporation of all the principal features of the distribution of Type I . . .