RESUMEN
To determine the patient characteristics, precipitating factors and mortality among diabetic ketoacidosis patients in Saudi Arabia. Prospective cohort study. Eighty -five consecults admitted to King Abdul Aziz and King Fahad Hospital, Madinah AI-Munawarah, Saudi Arabia over a period of 2 years starting May 1991. Diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis based on: serum sugar >12mmol with ketonuria, arterial pH<7.30 and bicarbonate <15.0 mmol. Mean age 35.8 years with male to female ratio 1:2. Non-compliance to continue the treatment and infection the most common precipitating factors being responsible for 69.4% and 21.2% cases respectively. A mortality rate of 3.5% compares favourably with other studies and indicates high level of medical care in our series. This study indicates non-compliance as the most common precipitating factor of diabetic ketoacidosis in Saudi Arabia