Remission without insulin therapy on gluten-free diet in a 6-year old boy with type 1 diabetes mellitus

BMJ Case Rep. 2012 Jun 21:2012:bcr0220125878. doi: 10.1136/bcr.02.2012.5878.

Abstract

A 5-year and 10-month old boy was diagnosed with classical type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) without celiac disease. He started on a gluten-free diet after 2-3 week without need of insulin treatment. At the initiation of gluten-free diet, HbA1c was 7.8% and was stabilised at 5.8%-6.0% without insulin therapy. Fasting blood glucose was maintained at 4.0-5.0 mmol/l. At 16 months after diagnosis the fasting blood glucose was 4.1 mmol/l and after 20 months he is still without daily insulin therapy. There was no alteration in glutamic acid decarboxylase positivity. The gluten-free diet was safe and without side effects. The authors propose that the gluten-free diet has prolonged remission in this patient with T1DM and that further trials are indicated.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / diet therapy*
  • Diet, Gluten-Free*
  • Glycated Hemoglobin / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Remission Induction

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Glycated Hemoglobin A