Increasing incidence of type I diabetes in The Netherlands. The second nationwide study among children under 20 years of age.
OBJECTIVE
A nationwide retrospective study was conducted to assess the incidence of type I diabetes in The Netherlands among children < 20 years of age in 1988-1990. The first study with a similar design covered 1978-1980.


METHODS
The capture-recapture census method was chosen for analysis of the data. A questionnaire was sent to all Dutch pediatricians and internists, and for the ascertainment, a similar questionnaire was sent out separately to members of the Dutch Diabetes Association, which is the national patient association.


RESULTS
The average achieved ascertainment rate was 81%. The ascertainment-adjusted annual incidence was 13.2/100,000 for 0- to 19-year-old children, indicating an increase of 23% compared with the 1978-1980 survey; for 0- to 14-year-olds, the increase amounted to 17%.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests a sustained increase of type I diabetes in The Netherlands because the cumulative incidence studied previously in the 1960-1970 birth cohorts of male army conscripts 18 years of age was also found to rise. In contrast to Northern European countries, an increase in incidence for the age category 0-4 years could not be found.
Ruwaard
D
D
National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
Hirasing
R A
RA
Reeser
H M
HM
van Buuren
S
S
Bakker
K
K
Heine
R J
RJ
Geerdink
R A
RA
Bruining
G J
GJ
Vaandrager
G J
GJ
Verloove-Vanhorick
S P
SP
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007388:Internal Medicine; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010372:Pediatrics; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors