Immune complexes in insulin-dependent diabetes

Circulating immune complexes (IC) were studied in 40 newly-diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetics (IDDM), 40 long duration IDDM, and 16 healthy controls. IC were detected by the solid-phase Clq test (SP-Clq). IDDM patients at diagnosis (25%) showed a higher incidence of IC compared to the long duration IDDM patients (15%) and the control group (7%). There was no difference in the prevalence of circulating IC in long duration IDDM with clinical nephropathy and those without clinical nephropathy. IC detected by Sp-Clq, seem to be associated with the clinical onset of IDDM but not with the development of nephropathy.