Background:Recent studies have indicated that an imbalance of gut microbiota is associated with the development of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and there is no literature regarding it in Chinese children yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the alteration of gut microbiota between children with newly diagnosed T1DM and healthy controls and to determine if gut microbiota could partly explain the etiology of this disease.Methods:A case-control study was carried out with 15 children with T1DM and 15 healthy children. The fecal bacteria composition was investigated by high-throughput sequencing of the V3–V4 region of the 16S rDNA gene and analyzed by the estimators of community richness (Chao) indexes.Results:There was a notable lower richness of fecal bacteria in T1DM group than controls (156.53 ± 36.96 vs. 130.0 ± 32.85, P = 0.047). At the genus level, the composition of Blautia was increased in T1DM group than control group whereas the composition of Haemophilus, Lachnospira, Dialister, and Acidaminococcus was decreased. In addition, we found that the percentage of Blautia was correlated positively with HbA1c (ρ = 0.40, P = 0.031), the numbers of T1DM autoantibodies (ρ = 0.42, P = 0.023), and the titers of tyrosine phosphatase autoantibodies (IA-2) (ρ = 0.82, P = 0.000) in the study.Conclusions:This study showed that gut microbiota was associated with the development of T1DM by affecting the autoimmunity, and the results suggested a potential therapy for T1DM via modulating the gut microbiota.

Background:Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 2 (APS-2), also known as Schmidt's syndrome, is an uncommon disorder characterized by the coexistence of Addison's disease with thyroid autoimmune disease and/or type 1 diabetes mellitus. Addison's disease as the obligatory component is potentially life-threatening. Unfortunately, the delayed diagnosis of Addison's disease is common owing to its rarity and the nonspecific clinical manifestation.Methods:Here we reported a case of 38-year-old female patient who presented with 2 years’ history of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and received levothyroxine replacement. One year later, skin hyperpigmentation, fatigue, loss of appetite, and muscle soreness occurred. She was advised to increase the dose of levothyroxine, but the symptoms were not relieved. After 4 months, the patient accompanied with dizziness, nausea, nonbloody vomiting, and fever. However, she was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis and fell into shock and ventricular fibrillation subsequently. Further evaluation in our hospital revealed elevated adrenocorticotrophic hormone and low morning serum cortisol, associated with hyponatremia and atrophic adrenal gland. Hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and Hashimoto's thyroiditis were also demonstrated.Results:After the supplementation with hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone was initiated, the physical discomforts were alleviated and plasma electrolytes were back to normal.Conclusion:The uncommon case involving 3 endocrine organs reinforced the significance of a timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment of APS-2, and physicians needed to sharpen their awareness of the potentially life-threatening disease.