Risk factors of the physical and sexual development disorders in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Objective. To determine hereditary and environmental factors, resulting in the formation of physical and sexual development disorders in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM 1).Methods and materials. The genealogical analysis was performed in the families of 50 patients aged 8 to 18 years (22 boys and 28 girls) with DM 1, who were examined at the Institute of Child and Adolescent Health of the NAMS of Ukraine. Harmonious physical development was observed in 16 boys and 10 girls, disharmonious development — in 6 and 18, respectively. The nature of puberty, which corresponded to the normative values, was registered in 19 boys and 23 girls, and puberty disorders were observed in 3 boys and 5 girls.Results. According to the genealogical analysis data, boys with DM 1 with harmonious physical development were more likely to be born with low body weight, they were more likely to undergo surgery compared to the girls with normal sexual development. Mothers of boys with harmonious and disharmonious physical development were significantly less likely to register stress before pregnancy compared to mothers of diabetic girls with different levels of physical development. The DM 1 boys with sexual development disorders significantly more likely to be born with the increased body mass in comparison with the DM 1 girls with sexual development disorders. Hereditary burden of diabetes in the girls with harmonious and disharmonious physical development exceeded in 1.8 and 2.8 times that in boys with corresponding physical development, and in girls with normal sexual development it was in 1.7 times oftener than in the boys. Cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases prevailed in the relatives of diabetic boys with harmonious physical development, and in the relatives of boys with disharmonious physical development, the cardiovascular and neurological diseases dominated, and gastrointestinal pathology was rarer than the incidence of these diseases in the relatives of diabetic girls with various levels of physical development. At the same time, relatives of boys with the normal sexual development had predominantly endocrine and neurological diseases, and relatives of boys with sexual development disorders had more often cardiovascular diseases in comparison with the incidence of these pathologies in relatives of girls with various levels of sexual development.Conclusions. It can be assumed that the presence of DM 1, especially diagnosed in childhood, may adversely affect the formation and functioning of the reproductive system in adolescence. Moreover, one should consider the impact of environmental factors and diabetes hereditary burden on their health.