Further evidence for the rising incidence of childhood Type 1 diabetes in Kuwait.
OBJECTIVE
To provide age-gender standardized incidence rate, temporal trend and seasonal variation of Type 1 diabetes in Kuwaiti children aged < or = 14 years.


METHODS
Data were prospectively collected over a period of 6 years (1992-1997) according to the DiaMond Project protocol using the capture-recapture method of ascertainment.


RESULTS
Data ascertainment varied between 90% and 96%. The incidence rate of Type 1 diabetes was 20.1 per 100,000 children 0-14 years (95% confidence interval (CI) 18.0-22.1); age-standardized incidence rate 20.9 (95% CI 18.8-23.0). The incidence rate among boys, 21.1 per 100,000 (95% CI 18.1-24.1) was slightly higher than that among girls, 19.0 per 100,000 (95% CI 16.1-21.8). The age-standardized incidence rate was 21.9 (95% CI 18.9-24.8) in boys, and 19.9 (95 CI 17.1-22.8) in girls. Incidence rates increased with age in both sexes (boys chi(2) for linear trend = 13.5, P < 0.001; and for girls chi(2) = 27.8, P < 0.0001). There was a significant trend towards increase in overall incidence during the 6-year period (chi(2) = 6.210, P = 0.013), and in age group 5-9 (chi(2) = 10.8, P = 0.001). Seasonality was demonstrated overall, in boys and girls (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of Type 1 diabetes in Kuwait is high compared with the neighbouring Arab countries, and it appears to be increasing as in many European populations.
Department of Paediatrics, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
A A
AA
Shaltout
M A A
MA
Moussa
M
M
Qabazard
N
N
Abdella
M
M
Karvonen
M
M
Al-Khawari
M
M
Al-Arouj
A
A
Al-Nakhi
J
J
Tuomilehto
A
A
El-Gammal
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors