Publication:

Familial inheritance and maternal influence on type 2 diabetes transmission in the Muslim people attending a diabetic centre

Background Diabetes mellitus is a complex metabolic disorder with strong genetic and familial components. Understanding patterns of family clustering and associated comorbidities provides valuable insights into disease onset and progression.

Methods A dataset of 179 individuals was analysed, capturing family history across parents, siblings, children and extended relatives. Variables included age at diagnosis, duration of disease and presence of comorbidities. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and frequency distributions were employed to identify familial aggregation and age-related trends.

Results : Diabetes was more frequently reported in mothers (78 cases) than fathers (51 cases), with a weak correlation between parental diabetes (r≈0.11). Individuals with both parents affected demonstrated earlier onset and longer disease duration, highlighting additive genetic risk. Sibling clustering was also evident, reinforcing horizontal transmission patterns. Hypertension and gestational diabetes were common comorbidities, often overlapping with family clustering.

Conclusions The findings highlight the significant role of family history in type 2 diabetes risk, with both vertical and horizontal familial clustering associated with earlier disease onset and longer duration. The coexistence of comorbidities suggests shared metabolic pathways within affected families. Although limited by its cross-sectional design and restricted population scope, this study provides important insights into familial aggregation and maternal influence in T2DM within a South Indian population, supporting the need for targeted screening and prevention strategies.