Population-based incidence of IDDM in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To study the incidence of IDDM among children, infants to 14 yr of age, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, 1987-1991.


METHODS
A prospective population-based register was established, using physician reports of newly diagnosed IDDM patients < 15 yr of age as the primary source of case identification and school surveys as the main secondary source. Data were collected according to the methods recommended by the Diabetes Epidemiology Research International group.


RESULTS
Case ascertainment was estimated at 95.0, 92.8, and 98.8% complete for each of the three cities studied. The average annual IDDM incidence was 7.6/100,000 inhabitants (95% confidence interval, 5.6-9.7). We found a higher incidence rate in girls than boys.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of childhood IDDM in a tropical region in South America (São Paulo, Brazil) is in the middle incidence range observed in developed countries throughout the world. Increased incidence of IDDM in girls compared with boys will be tested by the ongoing Brazilian incidence study being developed in 18 other centers across the country.
Department of Preventive Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil.
S R
SR
Ferreira
L J
LJ
Franco
M A
MA
Vivolo
C A
CA
Negrato
A C
AC
Simoes
C R
CR
Ventureli
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors