title: Knowledge of carbohydrate counting and insulin dose calculations in paediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) who are able to adjust their insulin doses according to the carbohydrate content of a meal, as well as their blood glucose, are likely to have improved glycaemic control (Silverstein et al., 2005). With improved glycaemic control, patients have a lower risk of developing long-term microvascular complications associated with T1DM (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group, 1993). To assess the carbohydrate and insulin knowledge of patients attending our paediatric diabetes clinic at the University Hospital Limerick (UHL), the validated PedCarbQuiz (PCQ) was applied to our clinic population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was completed by applying a questionnaire called the PedCarbQuiz (PCQ) to children exclusively attending our paediatric diabetes clinic at UHL. Of the clinic's 220 patients, 81 participated in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average total PCQ score (%) was higher in the continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) group compared with the multiple daily insulin (MDI) injection user group (79.1 ± 12.1 versus 65.9 ± 6.6 p = 0.005). The CSII group also had a higher average carbohydrate score (%) compared with the MDI group (79.4 ± 12.4 versus 66.3 ± 16.2, p = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that in a representative Irish regional paediatric T1DM clinic, knowledge of carbohydrates and insulin is better among patients treated with CSII compared with MDI. However, knowledge in both groups is poorer than in the original US sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that in a representative Irish regional paediatric T1DM clinic, knowledge of carbohydrates and insulin is poorer than in a US based sample, although this knowledge is better among patients treated with CSII compared with MDI. This highlights the need for improved resources for diabetes and carbohydrate counting education for patients with T1DM.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Finner
authors.affiliation: The Children's Ark, University Hospital Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.affiliation: Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.affiliation: Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Orla
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: O'Leary
authors.affiliation: Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick, Ireland ; The Children's Ark, University Hospital Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Clodagh S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: O'Gorman
keywords: Carbohydrate counting; Multidisciplinary education; Type 1 diabetes mellitus