ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: On March 11, 2020 the WHO announced a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Lockdown restrictions, compromised access to medical care and fear of potential exposure to SARS-CoV-2 have forced patients with non-COVID-19 illnesses such as type 1 diabetes (T1D) to stay home. Thisâ¯situation can lead to delay in T1D diagnosis and insulin treatmentâ¯resultingâ¯in rapid progression to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and therefore increased risk of complications and death.â¯â¯. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and severity of DKA at the onset of T1D in children diagnosed in our department during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown from March 2020 till May 2020 in comparison to corresponding period of the previous year.â¯. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We collected data ofâ¯children with newly diagnosed T1D. DKA was defined according to ISPAD guidelines.â¯. RESULTS: The study cohort comprised 34 childrenâ¯in groupâ¯2020â¯and 52 in groupâ¯2019 with an average age 9.90 ±4.9 vs. 9.59±4.7 years with mean HbA1c 12.9 ±2.4â¯vs.â¯11.5 ±2.2%,â¯respectively. The incidence of DKA was higher by 12% inâ¯groupâ¯2020 vs.â¯2019 (52.94% vs 40.38%; p = 0.276).⯠Regarding the DKA severity (2020 vs. 2019)â¯32.35% vs. 11.54% wereâ¯severe (p = 0.026), 17.65 vs. 13% were moderate (p = 0.759), and 2.94 vs. 15.38%â¯wereâ¯mild (p = 0.081).â¯None of the analyzed patients were COVID-19 positive. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown changes in society and health care system, the DKA rate has increased by 12 percentage points with more severe cases noted in children with newly diagnosedâ¯T1D. Regular education of the whole society about the symptoms of diabetes could contribute to faster diagnosis of T1D and reduction of DKA prevalence.â¯.