[Incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus in the Canary Islands (1995-1996). Epidemiologic Group of the Canary Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition].
OBJECTIVE
To prospectively evaluate the incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus in patients up to 30 years of age in the Canary Islands during 1995 and 1996.


METHODS
The population under study consisted of 744,444 inhabitants in the 0-29 year old group and 302,293 in the 0-14 year old group. The capture-recapture method was used for estimating the probability of ascertainment. Hospital records and endocrinologists' reports were the primary source, whereas reports from the Canary Diabetes Association reports and sales of blood glucose monitors were the secondary source.


RESULTS
A total of 223 new cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus were detected during the study period. The degree of ascertainment was 90.1%. The observed incidence rates were 23.2 per 100,000 per year for the 0-14 year old group and 9.2 per 100,000 per year for the 15-29 year old group. The overall incidence rate was 15 per 100,000 per year for the entire group. The highest incidence was found in the 10-14 year old group. The incidence in males was higher than in females, and particularly significant in the 15-29 year old group. No seasonal onset pattern was detected.


CONCLUSIONS
A high rate of incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus was observed in this study in children aged less than 15 years living in the Canary Islands.
Carrillo Domínguez
A
A
Servicio de Endocrinología, Hospital Insular de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain