Clinical features and treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus in children

Abstract

Objective To review the clinical characteristics and treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children. Methods The clinical data of 103 children with T1DM admitted to our hospital from Februry 2002 to August 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Thirty one cases with diabetic ketoacidosis (KDA) were treated with continuous insulin pump (group A) or basal-bolus insulin therapy (group B). The differences in blood glucose control time, the rate of hypoglycemic episodes, glucose fluctuation, fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2 h postprandial blood glucose (2 hPBG), insulin dosage, the time of urine acetone bodies disappear and length of stay were compared in two groups. Results The age of 103 children with T1DM was from 38 d to 15. 33 y with an average of (8 ±3) y; most of them was 7 - 10 y (47, 45.6% ). Seventy eight children were first diagnosed accounting for 75.7%; boys accounted for 55.3% of total. Fifty one cases (49.5%) were diagnosed in winter and spring and 67 (65.2%) had infections, most of them were respiratory tract and gastrointestinal infections. Sixty two cases (60. 2% )presented as diabetic ketoacidosis at the first onset, including 4 cases (3.9%) with cerebral edema. Some patients were complicated by Hashimoto's thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism, SLE and other autoimmune diseases.Among 31 cases with ketoacidosis the FBG and PBG were decreased significantly after treatment, there were no significant differences between two groups (P ＞ 0. 05 ). Compared to group B the correction time of DKA and urine acetone bodies was shorter, and reached the targeted glucose levels more quickly, the frequency of blood fluctuation and the hypoglycemia was significantly lower, the length of stay was shorter, and the daily dose of insulin was lower in group A; the differences between two groups were statistically significant ( P ＜0. 05 or P ＜0. 01 ). Conclusions The clinical symptoms at first onset of T1 DM in children are not typical,and likely to be combined with DKA; infection may be one of the inducing factors for DKA. Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion with pump can control the blood glucose more effectively and equably, and are convenient for use by children; so it is a better treatment option for type 1 diabetes mellitus in children. Key words: Diabetes mellitus, type 1; Insulin; Therapy