Abstract
Background and Objectives: Type one diabetes mellitus (DM1) is one of the most common metabolic diseases of childhood and in 20-40% of patients DKA is its first presentation. This study was assessed the clinical, laboratory and epidemiologic characteristics of diabetic ketoacidosis in children as a single centre study.
Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, medical records of 175 children with diabetic ketoacidosis, during the years 2001-2007, were extracted and their clinical, laboratory and epidemiologic characteristics were assessed.
Results: Mean age of the patients was 8.0±2.3 yr, [76 male (43.4%) and 99 female (56.6%)]. 56 patients (32%) had been admitted in autumn. The most common recorded clinical presentations were polyuria and polydypsia (87 cases, 44.6%), vomiting and weakness (30 cases, 17.1%) and abdominal pain (16 cases, 9.1%). Weight loss and polyphagia were other presenting symptoms. On admission, 113 cases (64.6%) were alert, 61 (34.9%) were sleepy and 1 (0.6%) was in deep. Mean duration between initial symptoms and diagnosis was 9.5±9.4 day.
Conclusion: We found that, severe DKA was the early presentation of DM1 in a high percentage of our patients. It is advisable to try to increase the knowledge of people for early diagnoses of DKA, and DKA must be considered in the differential diagnosis of any acutely ill child.