Complicanze acute in giovani pazienti affetti da diabete mellito di tipo 1

Acute complications (severe hypoglycemia/ketoacidosis) are the most dangerous events in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). To evaluate the incidence and correlates of severe hy- poglycemia (SH) and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in children and adolescents with T1DM, the Italian Society of Pediatric En- docrinology and Diabetology (ISPED) set up the SHIP-D study, in which 29 centers for childhood diabetes participated from No- vember 2011 to April 2012. We analyzed data collected in our Center for Pediatric En- docrinology and Diabetes and compared it with national data. In all, 152 patients were included (mean age 11 ± 3.9 years; 55% males; diabetes duration 5.1 ± 3.6 years; HbA1c 7.4 ± 0.9%) fol- lowed in the Center for at least one year. Data were collected using a questionnaire administered to patients and their parents by a doctor during a routine visit. The incidences of SH and DKA were respectively 11.2 and 3.9 events/100 cases/year. SH episodes were significantly correlated with the patient’s thera- peutic regimen - with higher risk for children using premixed in- sulin - and with the father’s higher education. DKA was more frequent in adolescence, in patients with HbA1c higher than 8.5%, and in those not participating in group educational initiatives.