title: Prevalence and characteristics of diabetes among Somali children and adolescents living in Helsinki, Finland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared the prevalence and characteristics of diabetes between Somali and Finnish children in the City of Helsinki.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten Somali and 310 non-Somali children <16 yr of age were treated for diabetes in Helsinki at the end of 2007. We analyzed autoantibodies, HLA alleles, and serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [S25(OH)D] concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of diabetes was 40/10,000 (95% CI 19-73/10,000) for the Somali children and 37/10,000 (95% CI 33-41/10,000) for the background population. At least one autoantibody was detected in all seven Somali patients sampled within 18 months after the diagnosis. Most Somalis (75%) carried HLA-conferred susceptibility to type 1 diabetes (T1D), DR3-DQ2 being the dominating HLA haplotype. Low S25(OH)D levels (<40 nmol/L) were seen in 83% of the Somali patients and in 60% of their siblings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data show that (i) Somali children have autoimmune diabetes, (ii) the prevalence of T1D is similar among Somali and Finnish children, and (iii) both affected and unaffected Somali children have low concentrations of S25(OH)D.
authors: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Oilinki
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Otonkoski
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Ilonen
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Knip
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Miettinen