Children diagnosed with diabetes during infancy have unique clinical characteristics.
OBJECTIVE
Characterizing clinical and biochemical features of children diagnosed with diabetes mellitus between the ages of 6-24 months.


METHODS
Medical records of 42 children diagnosed with diabetes mellitus at age of 6-24 months were reviewed for gender, ethnic origin, family medical history, clinical and biochemical features at onset of diabetes compared with 60 diabetic patients diagnosed at age 5-16 years.


RESULTS
Children diagnosed at 6-24 months had at onset more symptoms of apathy, restlessness, hyperglycemia during acute illness and a lower rate of remission than those diagnosed at older age (p < 0.001), significantly more episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis (83% vs. 40%, p < 0.001), lower HbA1c levels (mean 11.6 +/- 3.4 vs. 13.75 +/- 3.4%, p < 0.05) and a higher rate of celiac disease (12% vs. 3%, p = 0.046). There were no significant differences as to other autoimmune diseases.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with diabetes presenting at 6-24 months might be associated with a different clinical pattern and higher rate of celiac disease than diabetes presenting later in life. Understanding the nature and course of diabetes in this age group is crucial for planning interventional and preventive programs.
Nimri
Revital
R
Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetes, National Center of Childhood Diabetes, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tiqwa, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Phillip
Moshe
M
Shalitin
Shlomit
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies