The University of Toledo Translation Journal of Medical Sciences 
Rheumatology Abstract, Department of Medicine Research Symposium UTJMS 2023 May 05; 11(1):e1-e1 

Decreased Prevalence of Autoimmune 
Connective Tissue Diseases in Type 1 and 
Type 2 Diabetes 
Aya Abugharbyeh, MD1*, Sadik Khuder, PhD2, Bashar Kahaleh, MD1 

1Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, The University of Toledo, 
Toledo, OH 43614 
2Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Toledo, 
Toledo, OH 43614 

*Corresponding author: aya.abugharbyeh@utoledo.edu

Published: 05 May 2023 

Background/Purpose: Evidence suggest that some autoimmune diseases coexist at a higher rate than 
expected, reflecting common pathogenetic pathway, while an inverse association is also reported . In this 
study we investigate the co-occurrence of systemic sclerosis (SSc), Systemic lupus Erythematosus (SLE) 
and Sjogren Syndrome (SS) In patient with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). 

Methods: Health Care and Utilization Project (HCUP) data for the year 2019 was searched. We 
identified patients with Type 1  and Type 2 DM, SSc with and without lung involvement,  patients with 
SS, and SLE with and without lupus nephritis (LN). We used weighted logistic regression to examine 
the association between each of these diseases and DM. 

Results: The prevalence of SSc among patients with Type 1 and 2 DM was significantly lower than that 
for the non-DM control group.  Also, the prevalence of SSc with lung involvement was lower among 
patients with Type 1 and type 2 DM. The prevalence of SLE and SLE-LN were lower among patients 
with type 1 and in type 2 DM.  A decrease prevalence of SS in patients with type 1 and type 2 DM was 
also seen. 

Conclusion: The data demonstrates an inverse relation between SSc, lupus, and SS in patients with DM. 
This suggests that these diseases and DM may have different immune pathogenesis. There was also 
significantly lower incidence of organ complications such as lupus nephritis and SSc lung disease among 
patients with diabetes suggesting that diabetes and treatment of diabetes may alter the clinical expression 
of these disorders. 

https://dx.doi.org/10.46570/utjms.vol11-2023-633 

https://dx.doi.org/10.46570/utjms.vol11-2023-633
mailto:aya.abugharbyeh@utoledo.edu