Age-Related Differences in the Frequency of Ketoacidosis at Diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes in Children and Adolescents
- Anne Hekkala, MD1,
- Antti Reunanen, MD, PHD2,4,
- Matti Koski, MSC3,
- Mikael Knip, MD, PHD3,4,5,
- Riitta Veijola, MD, PHD1 and
- for the Finnish Pediatric Diabetes Register*
- 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland;
- 2National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland;
- 3Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland;
- 4Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland;
- 5Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
- Corresponding author: Anne Hekkala, anne.hekkala{at}oulu.fi.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We studied the prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children in Finland.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS From 2002 to 2005, data on virtually all children <15 years of age diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (n = 1,656) in Finland were collected.
RESULTS DKA was present in 19.4% of the case subjects, and 4.3% had severe DKA. In children aged 0–4, 5–9, and 10–14 years, DKA was present in 16.5, 14.8, and 26.4%, respectively (P < 0.001). Severe DKA occurred in 3.7, 3.1, and 5.9%, respectively (P = 0.048). DKA was present in 30.1% and severe DKA in 7.8% of children aged <2 years.
CONCLUSION The overall frequency of DKA in children is low in Finland at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. However, both children <2 years of age and adolescents aged 10–14 years are at increased risk of DKA.
Footnotes
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↵*A complete list of the members of the Finnish Pediatric Diabetes Register is included in the online appendix available at http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/dc09-2344/DC1.
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- Received December 23, 2009.
- Accepted April 1, 2010.
- © 2010 by the American Diabetes Association.
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