Forty-Year Observation of 280 Japanese Patients With Congenital Rubella Syndrome
- Nobuyuki Takasu, MD, PHD,
- Tomomi Ikema, MD, PHD,
- Ichiro Komiya, MD, PHD and
- Goro Mimura, MD, PHD
- From the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism (Second Department of Internal Medicine), University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan
- Address correspondence to Nobuyuki Takasu, MD, PhD, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism (Second Department of Internal Medicine), University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine, Nishihara, Okinawa, 902-0215, Japan. E-mail: takasun{at}med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
There was a rubella epidemic in 1964–1965 in Okinawa, Japan. By 2004, 280 subjects were diagnosed with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). All 280 patients followed over this 40-year period developed cataracts, sensory deafness, and/or heart disease. We measured islet cell surface antibody (ICSA), islet cell antibody (ICA), and anti-GAD65, IA-2, and insulin antibodies. Three (1.1%) (patients 1, 2, and 3) of these 280 CRS patients developed type 1 diabetes (positive autoantibodies to pancreatic β-cells). Patients 1 and 2 had diabetic ketoacidosis and type 1 diabetes. Patient 3 was diagnosed with diabetes at 18 years of age …
