Jarmila Vojtková, Miroslava Brndiarová, Alena Szökeová, Katarína Pozorčiaková, Peter Bánovčin
Introduction: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D), so its early diagnosis and adequate management is necessary. The aim of the work was to characterize selected aspects of treatment of DKA in children with newly diagnosed T1D.
Aim: The aim of the study was to characterize selected aspects of treatment of DKA in children with newly diagnosed T1D.
Methods: Children treated in Pediatric intensive care unit for DKA with newly diagnosed T1D were recruited into this retrospective study. Anthropometric, biochemic parameters and parameters of the treatment were statistically processed.
Results: 26 children at the age 2 – 18 years (average 7.69±4.24 years) were recruited to the study. 21 children (80.77 %) had mild form of DKA. Onset of T1D was the most frequent in winter months December – January (10 patients, 38.46 %). Dose of initial IV insulin negatively correlated with initial pH (r=-0.334) and initial bicarbonate concentration (r=-0.295). We found positive correlation between initial dose of insulin and length of treatment of DKA (r=0.425). Length of treatment of DKA positively correlated with initial base excess and negatively with initial bicarbonate concentration – the more severe was DKA (with lower bicarbonate concentration and higher base excess), the longer was IV insulin treatment of DKA.
Conclusion: Majority of mild forms of DKA is very probably an indication of good education of general practitioners and patients about this disease. Further study with higher number of enrolled patients would be useful for more detailed context.