Prevalence and Clinical Features of Ketotic Hypoglycemia in Childhood / 대한소아내분비학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE:Idiopathic ketotic hypoglycemia (IKH) is an important cause of hypoglycemia in children. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of ketotic hypoglycemia and to describe the clinical manifestation. METHODS:We conducted a retrospective chart review of children presenting hypoglycemia to the emergency department (ED) of Ewha Womans University Hospital between January 1995 and June 2004. Information recorded for subject included age, gender, weight, time of presentation, presenting symptoms, and laboratory data. RESULTS:Eighty two children were identified for hypoglycemia during the study period. IKH was the ultimate diagnosis for 66 patients (80.5%). Other diagnoses included hyperinsulinism (2.4%), drug adverse event (1.2%), sepsis (1.2%), and other disorder. The mean age for presentation of IKH was 37.9+/-18.6 months. Thirty eight boys and twenty eight girls were identified. The median time of presentation was 948 a.m. Of the 66 subjects, body weight of 46.9% patients was below 25th percentile for age. The average blood glucose was 41.4+/-14.2 mg/dL. Symptoms at presentation included lethargy (24.2%), mental change (16.7%) and vomiting (16.7%). 49 patients (74.2%) were described as having a concomitant illness. CONCLUSION: IKH was responsible for 80.4% of cases of hypoglycemia in pediatric ED and it had usually concomitant intercurrent illness which resulting in poor oral intake. Awareness of IKH, and its presenting characteristics, will be helpful in the ED when taking care of hypoglycemic children.