In SIB-study, we recruited from certain regions of Finland, with the help of local diabetesnurses and newspaper adds, families in which at least two of the siblings had diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. We opened temporary research centers to carry out the study in Mikkeli, Lappeenranta, Pori, Joensuu and Posio. The families were followed-up the same way as Botnia-families, if the participants were able to visit some of the permanent Botnia centers.
Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is often prevalent within the same family. Can these partially same heridatory factors be on the background of both of these diabetes types?
In 2002 we started to recruit, with the help of newspaper adds, families that have members with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes (=mix-families). The Type 2 diabetes patients of these families weree carefylly examined to study their insulin production, insulin sensibility and diabetes complications. I addition, carotid artery calcification was measured using ultrasound (caroticultrasound). The patients examined again after 3 years on a follow-up visit.