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Increased Incidence of Type 1 Diabetes and Co-Existing Thyroid Autoimmunity During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sweden

Anderberg, J LU orcid ; Carlsson, P LU ; Lundgren, M LU ; Elding Larsson, H LU orcid and Carlsson, A LU orcid (2025) In Acta Pædiatrica
Abstract

AIM: We aimed to investigate if the incidence of type 1 diabetes increased in children during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and whether SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were more frequently present at diagnosis compared with healthy individuals. We also examined whether clinical characteristics and coexisting autoimmunity differed between SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive and negative individuals.

METHODS: This retrospective, longitudinal observational study included children aged 0-17 years diagnosed with type 1 diabetes between 01 January 2018 and 31 December 2023 at Skåne University Hospital, Sweden. Blood samples were analysed for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and islet autoantibodies and compared to analyses of healthy children from the same period.... (More)

AIM: We aimed to investigate if the incidence of type 1 diabetes increased in children during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and whether SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were more frequently present at diagnosis compared with healthy individuals. We also examined whether clinical characteristics and coexisting autoimmunity differed between SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive and negative individuals.

METHODS: This retrospective, longitudinal observational study included children aged 0-17 years diagnosed with type 1 diabetes between 01 January 2018 and 31 December 2023 at Skåne University Hospital, Sweden. Blood samples were analysed for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and islet autoantibodies and compared to analyses of healthy children from the same period. Clinical characteristics and thyroid autoimmunity at onset were collected from medical records.

RESULTS: The incidence of type 1 diabetes increased from 40/100.000 (pre-pandemic) to 53/100.000 (pandemic). Children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes more likely tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (NCP) antibodies compared to healthy children. The SARS-CoV-2-NCP positive group had a higher prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity compared to the SARS-CoV-2-NCP negative group.

CONCLUSION: The incidence of type 1 diabetes increased during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with a possible connection to COVID-19. Interestingly, children positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at type 1 diabetes diagnosis had a higher likelihood of thyroid autoimmunity compared to children negative for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
in
Acta Pædiatrica
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:41324147
  • scopus:105023523772
ISSN
1651-2227
DOI
10.1111/apa.70388
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
© 2025 The Author(s). Acta Paediatrica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Foundation Acta Paediatrica.
id
5723cb72-22e7-4508-a673-b151c3645869
date added to LUP
2026-01-30 15:57:30
date last changed
2026-01-31 04:01:18
@article{5723cb72-22e7-4508-a673-b151c3645869,
  abstract     = {{<p>AIM: We aimed to investigate if the incidence of type 1 diabetes increased in children during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and whether SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were more frequently present at diagnosis compared with healthy individuals. We also examined whether clinical characteristics and coexisting autoimmunity differed between SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive and negative individuals.</p><p>METHODS: This retrospective, longitudinal observational study included children aged 0-17 years diagnosed with type 1 diabetes between 01 January 2018 and 31 December 2023 at Skåne University Hospital, Sweden. Blood samples were analysed for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and islet autoantibodies and compared to analyses of healthy children from the same period. Clinical characteristics and thyroid autoimmunity at onset were collected from medical records.</p><p>RESULTS: The incidence of type 1 diabetes increased from 40/100.000 (pre-pandemic) to 53/100.000 (pandemic). Children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes more likely tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (NCP) antibodies compared to healthy children. The SARS-CoV-2-NCP positive group had a higher prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity compared to the SARS-CoV-2-NCP negative group.</p><p>CONCLUSION: The incidence of type 1 diabetes increased during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with a possible connection to COVID-19. Interestingly, children positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at type 1 diabetes diagnosis had a higher likelihood of thyroid autoimmunity compared to children negative for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.</p>}},
  author       = {{Anderberg, J and Carlsson, P and Lundgren, M and Elding Larsson, H and Carlsson, A}},
  issn         = {{1651-2227}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Acta Pædiatrica}},
  title        = {{Increased Incidence of Type 1 Diabetes and Co-Existing Thyroid Autoimmunity During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/apa.70388}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/apa.70388}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}