A new study found that young boys have a higher risk of developing Type 1 diabetes (T1D) than girls. The study showed that the risk reduces significantly in girls after age 10 years, while the risk in boys stays the same. The findings will be presented at this year’s Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes from September 9-13 in Madrid, Spain.

The study was conducted by Erin L. Templeman and Dr Richard Oram, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK and colleagues. The researchers found that the risk of T1D is significantly higher for boys with a single autoantibody, proteins produced by the body’s immune system that attack other proteins.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. In this condition, your immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. While it is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, it can develop at any age. When the pancreas is not able to make enough insulin, it can lead to high blood sugar levels, which is also known as hyperglycemia. When you have high blood sugar consistently, it can affect different parts of the body, including the nerves, kidneys, heart and eyes among others.

The study suggests that the male gender could be linked with autoantibody development, indicating the importance of incorporating sex in the assessment of risk, said the team from the University of Exeter in the UK.

The study showed that, unlike most autoimmune diseases, male sex is a risk factor for type 1 diabetes (T1D). This raises the hypothesis that either immune, metabolic or other differences between sexes may impact risk or progression through stages of T1D.

In this study, the team studied 235,765 relatives of people with T1D. They used computer and statistical modelling to calculate the risk of T1D, stated as an estimated five-year risk for females and males respectively, after adjusting for confounders.

Males were found to have higher autoantibodies (females: 5.0 per cent males: 5.4 per cent). Males were also more likely to be screened positive for multiple autoantibodies and their chances were also higher in absolute five-year risk of progression to T1D.

There was also a decrease in 5-year T1D risk that was displayed in females when screened and autoantibody-positive, after 10 years old as compared to before age 10 years old. In contrast, a steady decline in 5-year T1D risk is displayed in males as the age at screening increases.

The authors said, “The risk of T1D is significantly higher in males than females when presenting with a single autoantibody. Risk is similar between males and females in childhood, with the risk diverging at age 10. Risk in females then dramatically decreases, whereas risk is sustained in males. This suggests sex appears to be linked with autoantibody development, indicating the importance of incorporating sex in the assessment of risk.”

The authors added, “On the difference in risk between boys and girls, the authors add: "We don't know and this is an interesting area where more research is needed. The change in risk at around the age of 10 raises the hypothesis that puberty-related hormones may play a role.”