Improved Metabolic Control in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is an important disease in children and adolescent being a major risk factor for early morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE To know the degree of metabolic control and prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in T1D patients. PATIENTS AND METHOD Retrospective study including patients under 19 years of age with T1D controlled at a Chilean hospital in 2011. RESULTS 94 patients were evaluated (average age at diagnosis: 7.3 years; current age: 11,9 years; evolution time: 4.5 years). Seventy-nine percent (79.8%) of patients presented glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) over the recommended level with an average of 8.9%. The group between 13 and 19 years of age exhibited the worst metabolic control (86% with HbA1c abnormal levels). Overweight or obesity occurred in 26.6% of patients, 20.3% had LDL >100mg/dl and 4.2% had hypertension. CONCLUSIONS Only about twenty percent of patients had adequate metabolic control as measured by HbA1c, although cardiovascular risk profile was acceptable. Therapeutic and educational efforts must be reinforced mainly in adolescents, emphasizing the importance of adequate nutritional management as a primary method to treat this entity.