Ketoacidosis at presentation of type 1 diabetes mellitus in children: a retrospective 20-year experience from a tertiary care hospital in Serbia.

UNLABELLED: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) has significant morbidity and mortality and is common at diagnosis in children. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and clinical characteristics of DKA over a 20-year period among children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) at University children's hospital in Belgrade, Serbia. The study population comprised of 720 patients (366 boys) diagnosed with type 1 diabetes aged <18 years between January 1992 and December 2011. Of all patients diagnosed with T1DM, 237 (32.9 %) presented with DKA. The majority had either mild (69.6 %) or moderate (22.8 %) DKA. Sixty (55.0 %) of all children under 5 years had DKA compared to sixty-two (20.9 %) in the 5- to 10-year-old group and one hundred fifteen (36.6 %) in the 11- to 18-year-old patients (p<0.01), while 2.5 % of the entire DKA cohort were in real coma. During the later 10-year period, children less often had DKA at diagnosis compared with the earlier 10-year period (28.0 vs. 37.4 %) (p<0.01), but the frequency of severe DKA was higher in the age group <5 year and in the age group >11 year during 2002-2011, compared with the earlier 10-year period (12.9 vs. 3.4 %, p<0.01 and 17.1 vs. 3.8 %, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The overall frequency of DKA in children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes decreased over a 20-year period at our hospital. However, children aged <5 years and adolescents are still at high risk for DKA at diagnosis.

Microalbuminuria in relation to metabolic control and blood pressure in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to assess the frequency of microalbuminuria and the relationship with other risk factors for the development of diabetic nephropathy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Our cross-section study involved a group of 60 adolescence of both sexes, mean age 15.3 ±2.43 years with mean duration of diabetes 7.74 ±3.44 years. Albumin excretion rate was measured on 2-3 samples of the first morning urine in the period below 6 months and persistent microalbuminuria was defined if its increased in two out of three urine specimens. Ambulatory blood pressure was monitored (ABPM, SpaceLabs 90207). RESULTS: Microalbuminuria developed in 13.3% of adolescents with mostly completed sexual development, statistically significantly poorer metabolic control (9.79% vs. 8.7%) and higher BMI (23.59 kg/m(2) vs. 20.85 kg/m(2)) than in the patients with normoalbuminuria. The mean night-time systolic blood pressure (SBP) was statistically significantly higher in microalbuminuric patients than in normoalbuminurics. The nocturnal dip was reduced in 41.7% of our patients; 38.5% of nondippers were in normoalbuminuric and 62.5% in microalbuminuric patients. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic adolescents require particular attention in order to minimize the factors such as high HbA(1c), elevated body mass index and night-time SBP in the development of incipient nephropathy.

Successful sulfonylurea treatment of a neonate with neonatal diabetes mellitus due to a new KCNJ11 mutation.

Mutations in the KCNJ11 gene, which encodes the Kir6.2 subunit of the ATP-sensitive potassium channel, often result in neonatal diabetes. We describe a female neonate who is a heterozygous for a new missense mutation, V252L, in the KCNJ11 gene and who has been successfully transitioned from insulin to sulfonylurea therapy.

A case of new mutation in maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 3 (MODY 3) responsive to a low dose of sulphonylurea.

We describe a girl aged 10.5 years with hyperglycemia, whose mother and maternal father had insulin treated diabetes since adolescence. Using genetic analysis in mother and child, we identified identical new mutation of the HNF-1alpha sequence. Treatment with small doses of sulphonylurea was initiated and that therapy gave good results.

[Transient neonatal pseudohypoparathyroidism].

INTRODUCTION: Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by end organ unresponsiveness to parathormone (PTH), due to receptor or postreceptor defects. The characteristic biochemical disturbances include hypocalcaemia, hyperphosphataemia and high serum parathormone levels. CASE OUTLINE: We present a 17-day-old male baby who was brought to our hospital because of seizures. He was found to have hypocalcaemia, hyperphosphataemia and an elevated serum level of parathyroid hormone. The diagnosis of PHP was based on the elevated serum level of PTH during hypocalcaemia and persistence of normocalcaemia after administering alphacalcidiol with oral calcium. After 4 months of therapy, with tapering of the oral calcium doses, the treatment was discontinued. During the following six months without therapy, the infant did not have seizures and the serum levels of calcium and phosphorus were normal, so we established the final diagnosis of transient neonatal pseudohypoparathyroidism. CONCLUSION: At the time when the newborn was diagnosed to have PHP, there was no indication whether it was of a permanent or transient form. A considerably lower number of patients have a transitory form of PHP, which is then confirmed in the infant period by a gradual reduction and withdrawal of therapy, with sustaining serum calcium and PTH within normal limits.

[Persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of the neonate]. / Perzistentna hiperinsulinemijska hipoglikemija novorodjenceta.

Persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglicemia of the neonate is a rare heterogenous disease (clinically, histologically, metabolically and genetically), which is characterized by inadequatly high insuline rates in the presence of severe hypoglicemia. Hyperinsulinism, rather a syndrome than a disease, of which the main metabolic feature is hypoglicemia and decreased concentration of free fatty acids and ketones in serum (insulin inhibits lypolisis and synthesizes ketonic bodies), presents a major diagnostic and therapeutic chalenge. The disease is often followed by brain atrophy contributed by the attacks of hypoglicemia. It is inherited as an autosomally recessive and autosomally dominant disease. The genetic defects is located on the short arm of the chromosome 11. The authors report a successfully applied conservative treatment in a neonate with persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglicemia.

[Nonclassic congenital adrenal hyperplasia resulting from 21-hydroxylase deficiency]. / Neklasicna kongenitalna adrenalna hiperplazija uzrokovana deficitom 21-hidrosilaze.

Nonclassic CAH, also termed as late onset of CAH, is a very mild form of 21-hydroxylase deficiency. The incidence of disease is estimated at 0.1% of population. Nonclassic CAH is usually diagnosed in the childhood before the age of 6 to 8 years as premature pubarche. The disease is not common in the infants and usually not before 6 to 8 months. This is a case report of 7-month female infant who was suspected of mild hyperandrogenism because of premature pubarche. The diagnosis was confirmed by mild basal elevation of 17-OHP (5.55 ng/ml) and characteristic hyper-response to ACTH, reaching values of 21 ng/ml, as well as accelerated bone maturation. The conventional treatment of NCAH was initiated, with glucocorticoid therapy (hydrocortisone) for one year and a half. After that period, our decision was to discontinue the hormonal therapy because of the impression that hyperandrogenism was mild (mild deficiency of the enzymes for steroid hormone synthesis). Child's growth, development and maturation are under constant control.

[New aspects of etiopathogenesis and clinical characteristics of diabetes mellitus type 1 in children]. / Noviji pogled na etiopatogenezu i klinicke odlike dijabetesa tip 1 u detinjsvu.

Apparent increase of the incidence of childhood diabetes mellitus has been observed in many countries over the last decades. Data of seasonality are not consistent, especially in younger group. The triggering of the autoimmune process in genetically susceptible individuals may be the result of a variety of environmental factors including viral infections, specific nutrients, early introduction of cow's milk proteins and ingestion of nitrosamines, stress-inducing events, early perinatal lesions. Clinical studies of the last decade have confirmed that diabetes mellitus in young children is specific type of type 1 diabetes. At presentation, children in preschool age group, who have type 1 diabetes, have higher incidence of ketoacidosis with coma because of immaturity of the central nervous system. Delays in diagnosis in small children often lead to more severe dehydration and ketoacidosis. Chi dren in the young age group who have type 1 diabetes represent unique set of problems for their families and health care team.