title: Prospective assessment of hypoglycemia symptoms in children and adults with type 1 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the characteristics of symptoms of hypoglycemia in children and in adults with type 1 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults with diabetes and parents of children with diabetes who were participants were asked to call a phone system to report episodes of hypoglycemia (presence of symptoms and a blood glucose <4.0 mmol/L). For each episode, blood glucose reading and a scoring of 28 symptoms on a 7-point scale (1 = not present, 7 = very intense) were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty six children (49.2% males, mean age = 12.1±2.4 years, mean age at diagnosis = 7.5±2.9 years) and 53 adults (41.2% males, mean age 38.7±14.5 years, mean age at diagnosis = 17.5±12.9 years) with type 1 diabetes participated. The most common symptoms in adults were hunger, sweating, trembling and weakness. The most common symptoms in children were weakness, trembling and hunger. The 2 most discriminating variables between children and adults were sleepiness and tiredness, which were more common in children (p<0.01). In a comparative factor analysis, 3 factors emerged: factor 1, autonomic and neuroglycopenic; factor 2, behavioural; and factor 3, general malaise. Factors 2 and 3 were significantly more common or intense in children than in adults; MANOVA: F(1, 113) = 6.72, p<0.05 and F(1, 113) = 4.64, p<0.05, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptoms relating to behaviour and general malaise are more common in children than in adults with type 1 diabetes. The results of this study may assist providers in educating caregivers of children and patients with diabetes how to better recognize episodes of hypoglycemia.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Aditi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Lorraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Alun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: daniele.pacaud@albertahealthservices.ca.
authors.forename: Danièle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pacaud
keywords: adultes; adults; children and adolescents; diabète de type 1; enfants et adolescents; hypoglycemia symptoms; symptômes de l’hypoglycémie; type 1 diabetes