Menarche in type 1 diabetes is still delayed despite good metabolic control.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the age at menarche of girls with type 1 diabetes (T1D) who were diagnosed with the disease before puberty and compare it with that of an age-matched group of normal girls. Previous studies on the appearance of menarche showed that the mean age of onset of menarche is delayed in girls affected by T1D compared with normal girls.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Patients and controls in an academic research environment.


METHODS
We studied, retrospectively, the charts of 162 consecutive girls with T1D born in a geographically defined region between 1984 and 1994 with a mean disease duration of 3-5 years, all of whom were on intensive insulin therapy since diagnosis of T1D. The control group consisted of 214 normal girls born between 1984 and 1994, who agreed to fill in an anonymous questionnaire regarding age at menarche and other clinical information.


METHODS
There was no intervention per se in the study. Age at menarche appears as a dependent variable of body mass index (BMI), HbA1c, and so on.


METHODS
BMI, HbA1c, and duration of T1D at menarche were considered among the potential factors affecting the age of menarche.


RESULTS
Age at menarche in girls with T1D was significantly delayed compared with control girls (12.6 +/- 1.5 years vs. 12.25 +/- 1.4 years, respectively). HbA1c levels and BMI did not influence the age at menarche.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite intensive insulin therapy and good metabolic control since diagnosis of T1D, the age at menarche is still delayed in girls who develop T1D before puberty.
Picardi
Antonio
A
Area di Endocrinologia e Diabetologia, Università Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy.
Cipponeri
Elisa
E
Bizzarri
Carla
C
Fallucca
Sara
S
Guglielmi
Chiara
C
Pozzilli
Paolo
P
D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008572:Menarche; D011628:Puberty, Delayed / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012384:Rome
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human