title: Epidemiologic Features of Type 1 Diabetic Patients between 0 and 18 Years of Age in İstanbul City.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the epidemiologic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of a group of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) living in a Turkish city.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of 395 (boys/girls: 199/196) children with newly diagnosed T1DM hospitalized in the years 1985-2004 were evaluated retrospectively. The data were assessed by gender and age subgroups (≤5, 6-10 and ≥11 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of children at diagnosis was 8.1±4.1 years. At T1DM onset, the number of children ≤5, between 6-10 and ≥11 years old was 110 (27.9%), 147 (37.2%) and 138 (34.9%), respectively. The patients were mostly diagnosed at ages 6-8 years (24.1%), followed by cases aged 3-5 years (22.0%). Polyuria and polydipsia were the most common symptoms (94.7%). Mean duration of symptoms was 21.5±18.6 days. Although the patients mostly presented in autumn (30.7%), no season-related significant differences were found. The frequency of ketoacidosis was relatively high (48.5%). When compared to boys, the girls experienced higher rates of ketoacidosis (55.1% vs. 41.7%, p=0.042); had a higher frequency of anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (11.7% vs. 4.2%, p=0.049) and higher insulin requirement (0.89±0.41 vs. 0.77±0.36 IU/kg, p=0.005). Cases with a family history of T1DM were more likely to have anti-endomysial antibodies (42.9% vs. 8.1%, p=0.027) and higher initial blood glucose levels (510.5±145.0 vs. 436.1±156.5 mg/dL, p=0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings possibly indicate a decreasing age of T1DM onset. The high frequency of ketoacidosis at presentation is noteworthy. Girls had higher rates of ketoacidosis, higher frequency of anti-thyroid antibodies and higher insulin requirements as compared to boys. Patients with a family history of T1DM had higher initial glucose levels and higher frequency of anti-endomysial antibodies.
authors: Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Diyarbakır, Turkey. E-mail: fikridemir@yahoo.com.
authors: Fikri
authors: F
authors: Demir
authors: Hülya
authors: H
authors: Günöz
authors: Nurçin
authors: N
authors: Saka
authors: Feyza
authors: F
authors: Darendeliler
authors: Rüveyde
authors: R
authors: Bundak
authors: Firdevs
authors: F
authors: Baş
authors: Olcay
authors: O
authors: Neyzi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019963:Clinical Chemistry Tests / Q000379:methods*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers