Euthyroid sick syndrome in type I diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents

We studied concentrations of thyroid hormones (T3, T4, FT4, rT3, TBG and TSH) in 62 type I diabetic children and adolescents. The patients were classified into group A (n = 27, good control, HbA1c less than 10%), group B (n = 19, poor control, HbA1c greater than 10%) and group C (n = 16, diabetic ketoacidosis, pH less than 7.1 and HCO3 less than 15 mmol/L. All patients were treated with two daily injections of purified monocomponent insulins. Thirty healthy subjects of the same age served as control group. Patients in group B and C had significantly lower T3 and higher rT3 levels (p less than 0.001) compared to the matched controls (1.5 vs 2.2; 0.9 vs 2.2; 0.58 vs 0.3 and 0.6 vs 0.3 nmol/L). Serum TBG levels were significantly lower (p less than 0.01) in the group A (19.5 +/- 4.3 mg/L), group B (20.3 +/- 3.3) and group C (18.0 +/- 3.4) compared with control group (24.2 +/- 3.1). There was significantly negative correlation between T3 and HbA1c in group B (r = 0.546; p less than 0.02). The results of this study confirm that euthyroid sick syndrome does exist in type I diabetic children and adolescents with poor metabolic control and ketoacidosis. The inverse relationship between T3 and HbA1c percentage (low T3 and high HbA1c) points to the poor diabetic control.     

The antioxidant status of coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E in children with type 1 diabetes

Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant status of plasma vitamin E and plasma and intracellular coenzyme Q10 in children with type 1 diabetes.

Possible impact of plasma RNase activity on immune dysfunction in juvenile diabetes mellitus

AIM: The ribonuclease (RNase) family represents important enzymes used widely in biomedical and biotechnological applications, as well as for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This study was undertaken to test the possibility that plasma alkaline RNase (free or inhibitory bound) determination may be useful in studying the dysregulation of nucleic acid and oligonucleotide metabolism as a possible pathogenetic mechanism in development of immune dysfunction in juvenile diabetes mellitus. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Children with type 1 diabetes (n=32, age group of 5--14 yr), together with age-matched control subjects (n=35), were enrolled in the study. None had microvascular complications. According to the metabolic regulation of the disease and the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level, all patients were divided into two groups (HbA1c<7.5% and HbA1c>7.5%). According to the duration of diabetes, diabetic children were divided into two groups: duration of diabetes less than 1 yr and duration of diabetes greater than 1 yr. The control group consisted of age-matched subjects (n=35; 15 girls and 20 boys) who were clinically healthy. The activity of free and inhibitory-bound RNase and the level of acid soluble nucleotides were measured in heparinized plasma. RESULTS: The inhibitory-bound enzyme activity was higher in diabetic children, followed by sharply decreased free enzyme, especially in the group with the level of HbA1c above 7.5%. Recent-onset diabetic patients had lower free RNase activity compared with those with longer duration of the disease. The amount of pre-existing acid-soluble oligonucleotides was significantly increased in diabetic children, especially in those with poor metabolic control. CONCLUSION: Our observed preliminary results may suggest a hypothesis that a persistent increase of oligonucleotide fragments, most probably due to insufficient RNase activity, may lead to T-cell hyperactivity in type 1 diabetes through the activation of toll-like receptors (TLRs). The measurement of RNase(s) activity (free, inhibitory-bound, or specific toward different substrates), together with the well-known immunobiochemical parameters of diabetes, may help further efforts in identifying a disease-specific early biological marker of immunity dysfunction in juvenile diabetes.     

Helicobacter pylori infection in children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

To assess the seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) in children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, a serological test for Helicobacter pylori (anti-HP IgG with ELISA) was performed in 88 diabetic and 42 healthy control children. Anti-HP IgG was positive in 49/88 (55.6%) of diabetics and 13/42 (30.9%) of controls (p<0.01). Diabetic children were divided into two groups according to HP status: HP(+) and HP(-). The two groups were compared for age, gender, duration of diabetes, diabetic control (HbA1c), SDS for height and gastric emptying time. Seroprevalence of HP was higher in IDDM patients than in healthy controls. Duration of diabetes was the only factor which correlated significantly with HP status. HP status was not related to gastric emptying time.     

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in children with long standing and newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus.

In 35 children with long-standing diabetes mellitus, a significant correlation was found between the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)--and the 24-hour urinary glucose excretion. By contrast, 11 newly diagnosed diabetic children had grossly elevated HbA1c-concentrations, but no correlations could be established between the levels of HbA1c and the duration of symptoms, blood glucose, glycosuria, ketonuria and the acid--base status. However, HbA1c and C-peptide were significantly correlated. The elevated HbA1c-concentrations decreased towards normal in all of these 11 children after 2--3 months following adequate therapy. The results suggest that the determination of HbA1c may serve as a valuable metabolic control index in children with long-standing diabetes mellitus, but adds little information in newly diagnosed patients. For the individual diabetic child during the early treatment period, HbA1c may be the index of choice for adequacy of metabolic control.     

Fibronectin in children with diabetes mellitus.

Fibronectin plasma concentrations were determined in 28 children with type I diabetes mellitus and 22 healthy children. No statistically significant difference was observed between the fibronectin concentrations in diabetic and non-diabetic children. Even in children with poor glycaemic control the fibronectin concentrations (glycosylated haemoglobin greater than 10%) were not significantly higher.     

儿童1型糖尿病的10年回顾及白介素-10在糖尿病酮症酸中毒中的临床意义

目的：回顾浙江大学医学院附属儿童医院10年来住院儿童 1 型糖尿病的发病状况并探讨白介素-10（IL-10）在儿童 1 型糖尿病酮症酸中毒（DKA）中的临床意义。方法：对1999年1月至2009年2月在该院住院的263例334例次1型糖尿病患儿的临床资料进行回顾性分析;并对其中48例1型糖尿病患儿进行血脂、细胞因子等检查,根据有无酮症酸中毒分为 DKA组和非DKA组,24例正常健康儿童作为对照组,比较各组间血脂、细胞因子等参数的差异。结果：儿童1型糖尿病患儿中,女性多见（56.3%）,发病年龄以6~11.9岁多见。32.7% 的患儿以酮症酸中毒为就诊表现。DKA组血脂、血糖及糖化血红蛋白均高于非DKA组,二分类logistic 回归分析示上述指标水平的升高均为酮症酸中毒的危险因素。IL-10水平在DKA组明显升高,余细胞因子在DKA组和非DKA组无明显差异。糖尿病组各细胞因子水平明显高于正常对照组。结论：1型糖尿病患儿酮症酸中毒发生率较高,糖、脂代谢紊乱是酮症酸中毒的危险因素。IL-10可能为酮症酸中毒的敏感指标。［中国当代儿科杂志,2010,12（11）：849-854］     

High-normal C-reactive protein levels do not affect the vitamin A transport complex in serum of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is associated with the presence of inflammation, which in turn affects parameters used to assess the vitamin A status. In the present study, we evaluated the influence of inflammatory status on retinol, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), and transthyretin (TTR) in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. A total of 40 children with type 1 diabetes (median age, 14.2 y; median BMI-SDS, 0.53; median diabetes duration, 5.8 y; median HbA1c, 7.3%) and 46 healthy subjects (median age, 12.8 y; median BMI-SDS, 0.34; median HbA1c 5.4%) were recruited. Serum levels of CRP were significantly elevated (p = 0.005) and retinol concentrations were significantly lower (p = 0.02) in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes compared with healthy subjects. Serum RBP4 and TTR showed no differences between the groups. Healthy children with CRP levels above 0.6 mg/L had significant lower levels of retinol (p = 0.03). This was not observed in children with type 1 diabetes. The results suggest that, in contrast to healthy children, minor CRP elevation does not affect vitamin A transport complex in serum of children with type 1 diabetes.     

Increased prevalence of overweight in adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Height and weight were measured in young patients with type 1 diabetes up to the age of 22 y. We found no difference between birth length standard deviation scores (SDS), final height SDS and target height SDS. The study group of 89 diabetic boys and girls did not differ in final height from age- and sex-matched healthy controls. SDS for height at diagnosis, +0.17 +/- 1.10, exceeded that for final height, -0.06 +/- 0.97 (p = 0.037). Height SDS decreased between the ages of 11 and 18 (p < 0.01). In diabetic girls, but not boys, final height SDS was significantly related to mean HbA1c during puberty (r = -0.40; p = 0.025). Weight gain occurred from age of menarche in girls with type 1 diabetes. At the age of 18, diabetic girls were 6.5 kg heavier and had 2.7 kg/m2 higher body mass index (BMI) than control girls (p < 0.001). Diabetic boys were not heavier than control boys. There was a significant relationship between mean HbA1c during puberty and BMI at the age of 18 in diabetic girls (r = 0.47; p = 0.009). In diabetic females, body weight remained unchanged, HbA1c improved and the dose of insulin was significantly reduced between 18 and 22 y of age. The HbA1c improvement was most marked in patients with poor metabolic control. In conclusion, although mean final height was normal in young patients with type 1 diabetes, growth was increased before diagnosis and pubertal growth spurt was reduced. Adolescent overweight was overrepresented; it related to poor metabolic control in females with diabetes, but showed no further acceleration in early adulthood.     

Type 1 diabetic children have abnormal lipid profiles during pubertal years

Aim/Hypothesis: To study the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and the relationship between metabolic control, pubertal status and plasma lipoprotein levels in children with diabetes mellitus.
Subjects and methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted on 126 subjects with type I diabetes followed at our institution. There were 57 boys and 69 girls (mean age: 13.4±3.4 yr; mean duration of diabetes: 7.3±2.1 yr), on whom fasting lipoprotein levels and pubertal status were determined. Mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of the preceeding year was used in the analysis. Cholesterol (CT) and triglyceride (TG) levels were transformed into standard deviations (SD) using age dependent normal values.
Results: 1) CT levels of DM children (mean level: +0.9±1.2 SD) are higher for both sexes and at each age. Sixteen percent of the cases had CT level ≥2 SD. Within the range of the HbA1c observed (9.1±1.2%), CT levels are not correlated with the degree of metabolic control. In contrast to non‐diabetic children, CT levels of the diabetic children did not vary throughout pubertal stages. CT levels correlated highly with apolipoprotein B (r=0.79; p<0.00001 and r²=82%, in univariate and multivariate analysis, respectively. 2) Plasma TG levels are comparable in the diabetic children (mean level: ?0.11±0.9 SD) and non‐diabetic children. Only 5% of the diabetic children have a TG level ≥2 SD. The TG levels are significantly, but weakly, positively correlated with duration of diabetes and the degree of metabolic control (r²=12% and 16%, respectively, p<0.0001 for both).
Conclusions: Plasma CT levels of type I diabetic children are increased in comparison to non‐diabetic children and do not follow the usual decreasing pattern during puberty.     

1�����򲡻���Ѫ����Ƥ�غ�Ѫ���Լ�Ѫ�Ѳ����ӵļ�⼰������׵��׵Ĺ�ϵ

目的观察1型糖尿病患儿血管内皮损害标志物—内皮素(ET)和血管性假血友病因子(von Wille-brand因子,vWF)的变化,分析其与尿白蛋白排泄率(UAER)的关系,从而筛查出更敏感的早期诊断糖尿病肾病(DN)的指标。方法收集1998-06—2005-06在山东省立医院就诊的4~18岁1型糖尿病患儿40例,根据UAER分为正常白蛋白尿组(A组)25例和微量白蛋白尿组(B组)15例,同时以年龄、性别、身高1∶1匹配的健康儿童作为对照组,分别检测其血糖(FBG)、糖化血红蛋白(HbA1c)、血浆ET和vWF的变化,并分析其相关性。结果与正常对照组比较,1型糖尿病患者血浆ET-1和vWF、HbA1c明显增高,尤其是微量白蛋白尿组升高更明显(均P<0·01),血浆ET-1和vWF与UAER、HbA1c均呈正相关。结论1型糖尿病患儿在出现白蛋白尿前已存在血管内皮功能异常,其白蛋白排泄与血管内皮功能障碍程度有一定相关性。血浆ET-1、vWF检测可作为早期筛查糖尿病肾病的可靠指标。     

Profound changes in the GH–IGF‐I system in adolescent girls with IDDM: can IGFBP1 be used to reflect overall glucose regulation?

Disturbances in the relations between insulin, growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) may be a major cause behind deteriorated metabolic control in adolescent girls with type I diabetes. These patients have increased GH secretion and low IGF-I concentrations. The aim of this study was to identify possible endocrine mechanisms behind good and poor glycaemic control in such girls, focusing on the insulin-GH-IGF-I axis. Ten girls with well-controlled insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 6.5+/-0.4% (normal range 3.9-5.2%) and nine healthy controls were investigated and compared with 11 girls with poor glucose regulation, HbA1c 10.9+/-0.4%, and their corresponding controls. Serum profiles of glucose, insulin, GH and IGF-binding protein 1 (IGFBP1) were analysed in addition to IGF-I and HbA1c. Two interesting observations were made. GH concentrations were equally elevated in the two diabetic groups regardless of metabolic control (mean 24 h GH - girls with poorly controlled diabetes 10.0+/-1.0 mU/L vs 9.8+/-1.7 - girls with well-controlled diabetes; p=ns). Likewise, the IGF-I concentrations were reduced to the same extent (233+/-19 vs 242+/-23 microg/L; p=0.75). Secondly, despite similar insulin concentrations (mean 24 h insulin - girls with poorly controlled diabetes 22.9+/-2.6 and girls with well-controlled diabetes 27.3+/-2.9 mU/L, respectively; p=0.26), there was a marked difference in IGFBP1 concentrations between the two groups with IDDM (mean IGFBP1 - girls with poorly controlled diabetes 70.5+/-9.1 microg/L vs girls with well-controlled diabetes 28.6+/-3.3; p<0.001). Despite equally elevated GH concentrations that may induce insulin resistance, the markedly lower concentrations of IGFBP1 in the well-controlled group indicate a higher hepatic insulin sensitivity in these girls compared with those with a poor control. Furthermore, in spite of similar total IGF-I concentrations, the lower IGFBP1 concentrations may result in higher IGF-I bioactivity in the well-controlled group. This may be reflected in better growth of the well-controlled group whose height of 168.7+/-0.9 vs 163.6+/-1.2 cm was significantly different (p<0.004). IGFBP1 may be a marker of overall insulinization in adolescents with type 1 diabetes, independent of the absolute insulin dose used for therapy.     

The effects of metabolic control on oxidized low-density lipoprotein antibodies in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE: To assess the oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) antibody status in childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and to investigate the effect of metabolic control on the oxLDL antibodies. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included 36 T1DM patients (aged 6.6-18.1 yr) and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Serum levels of oxLDL antibodies, lipids, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were measured. The patients with diabetes were divided into two groups according to their metabolic control levels. Group I (the patient group with good or fairly good metabolic control, n = 21) and group II (the patient group with poor metabolic control, n = 15) included children with diabetes having an actual HbA1c levels of < or = 9 and >9%, respectively. RESULTS: The oxLDL antibody level was higher in T1DM patients than in control subjects [278 (37-1289) vs. 110 (37-235) mU/mL] (p < 0.001). The patients with diabetes in group I had higher antibody levels against oxLDL [488 (51-1289) mU/mL] than both those in group II [183 (37-1207) mU/mL] and control group [110 (37-235) mU/mL] (p < 0.001). oxLDL antibodies were inversely correlated with actual HbA1c levels (r = -0.42, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Increased levels of oxLDL antibodies in pediatric patients indicate that the increased lipid peroxidation in T1DM begins in childhood. oxLDL antibody levels are inversely correlated with actual HbA1c levels in children with diabetes, as shown in adult patients. As metabolic control worsens, the free oxLDL antibody levels decrease perhaps because of immune complex formation and the atherosclerosis risk increases. The risk may be diminished by improving metabolic control as reflected in the correlation between current HbA1c and oxLDL levels.     

Advanced glycation end products in children and adolescents with diabetes: relation to glycemic control and early microvascular complications

OBJECTIVE: The measurement of serum advanced glycation end products (S-AGEs) in children, adolescents, and young adults with diabetes to determine whether increased S-AGE levels may be associated with long-term glycemic control and early microvascular complications. Study design: The study was performed in (1) 178 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (age range, 2 to 21 years, onset before the age of 12 years; duration longer than 2 years) without clinical and laboratory signs of microvascular complications, (2) 39 adolescents and young adults (age range, 16.1 to 28.8 years) with background or preproliferative retinopathy or persistent microalbuminuria, and (3) 98 healthy age- and sex-matched control subjects. RESULTS: S-AGEs were significantly increased in preschool and prepubertal children with diabetes and were particularly elevated in pubertal subjects with diabetes compared with control subjects. S-AGEs were markedly increased in adolescents with early microvascular complications compared with both control subjects and diabetic patients without retinopathy or nephropathy. No correlation was found between S-AGEs and albumin excretion rate or blood pressure values. Glycated hemoglobulin values and S-AGEs were significantly correlated (r = 0.32; P <.01). In children with poorly controlled diabetes (HbA1 c >10%), long-term (2 years) improvement of glycemic control resulted in a significant reduction of S-AGE levels in preschool and prepubertal children, as well as in pubertal individuals. CONCLUSIONS: S-AGE concentrations may be elevated even in preschool and prepubertal children with diabetes; this means that the risk of microvascular complications may be present at an early age. Improvement in glycemic control may be associated with a significant decrease in S-AGEs.     

Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism and lipid profiles in Kuwaiti children with type 1 diabetes

METHODS: We studied angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism and lipid profiles in Kuwaiti children with uncomplicated type 1 diabetes. A total of 125 children with type 1 diabetes were matched in a case-control study on age and gender to 125 non-diabetic children as controls. Serum lipids (total cholesterol, TC; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL-c; triglycerides, TG; apolipoprotein A1 and B, apo A1 and B; lipoprotein(a), Lp(a)); and glycated hemoglobin, HbA1c were evaluated according to ACE genotypes. RESULTS: Genotype distributions were found to be similar in cases [ACE insertion/insertion (II) 9.6%, ACE insertion/deletion (ID) 38.4%, ACE deletion/deletion (DD) 52.0%], and controls (II 8.8%, ID 43.2%, DD 48.0%), and were characterized by higher frequencies of DD, ID, and lower frequencies of II. Diabetic children with DD genotype showed significantly higher levels of TC (p < 0.01), HDL (p < 0.001), and apo A1 (p < 0.001) than controls. There was a higher proportion of diabetic children with family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the DD genotype group (51.9%) than those with II genotype group (11.1%) (p < 0.001). Also, there was a significant increase in the frequency of diabetic children with Lp(a) > 30 mg/dL in children with a family history of CVD (p = 0.008). Lp(a) levels were correlated with HbA1c in the diabetic group (r = 0.239, p = 0.019), but when patients with poor glycemic control (HbA1c > 9%) were excluded, the significant correlation disappeared (r = 0.127, p = 0.381). After adjusting confounding between variables, the logistic regression analysis showed that the two significantly related variables with the rise in Lp(a) were increasing TC level and poor glycemic control. CONCLUSIONS: In children with type 1 diabetes, the role of ACE polymorphism as a probable contributor to CVD seems to be partially mediated through other factors such as poor glycemic control, TC, and Lp(a) level. A longitudinal study is recommended with a larger number of patients in each ACE genotype group in order to assess such associations.     

Apolipoproteins and lipoproteins in children with type I diabetes: relation to glycosylated serum protein and HbA1

Serum levels of cholesterol (C), triglycerides (TG), lipoprotein-C and apolipoproteins (apo) A-I, A-II and B were measured in 30 children with type I diabetes mellitus (16 boys, 14 girls, aged 11-14 years) and in 26 healthy controls (15 boys, 11 girls, aged 10-13 years). For 19 diabetics controls matched for age, sex and relative body weight were selected. The diabetic patients were considered to be in fair metabolic control according to HbA1 levels and glycosylated serum protein concentrations. Mean serum apo A-I, A-II and B, C, TG, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) did not differ significantly between diabetic nondiabetic children. Very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) was significantly higher in diabetic children than in controls. Serum C and LDL-C levels showed close univariate linear correlations with glycosylated serum protein (LDL-C: r = 0.53, p less than 0.01, C: r = 0.58, p less than 0.01) in diabetics. The ratio LDL/HDL-C was significantly correlated to HbA1 levels (r = 0.47, p less than 0.01). By canonical and multiple linear correlation analysis significant relations of a selected set of variables concerning the control and therapy of diabetes (serum glucose, HbA1, glycosylated serum protein, insulin dose) with a set of lipoprotein variables (C, TG, VLDL-C, HDL-C, LDL-C, apo A-I, A-II, B) could be demonstrated. From these data we conclude that significant relations between atherogenic serum lipids and lipoproteins (C, LDL-C) and the degree of metabolic control exist in diabetic children, even in the absence of marked dyslipoproteinemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Fructosamine or glycated haemoglobin as a measure of diabetic control?

Glycated haemoglobin A1 (HbA1c), fructosamine, and total serum proteins were measured in 30 normal and 61 diabetic children. The normal range for HbA1c was 4.7-8.8% and for fructosamine was 0.98-1.88 mmol/l. These were similar to adult normal ranges and there were no significant age differences during childhood. There was a highly significant correlation between HbA1c and fructosamine in the diabetic children but this was lost when only concentrations within the established normal ranges were considered. Adjustment of concentrations of fructosamine for total serum proteins made no difference to the results. Changes in HbA1c and fructosamine were followed in three newly diagnosed patients and in one whose diabetes was getting worse. HbA1c decayed with a half life of 28.7 days and fructosamine decayed with a half life of 16.5 days. Fructosamine concentrations were lower than expected in the patients who were improving and higher than expected in the patient who was deteriorating. It is suggested that while fructosamine is not a direct substitute for HbA1c it may be a useful adjunct in determining whether a patient is worsening or improving in the short term. A change from HbA1c to fructosamine for routine assessment of diabetes while retaining HbA1c on selected occasions would result in some cost savings while retaining the advantages of having both assays available.     

Assessment of risk factors of poor metabolic control in type 1 diabetic children assisted in a public hospital in Argentina

Objective: To evaluate predictive risk variables of poor diabetes control that are present at the onset of the disease. Subjects and methods: A prospective cohort study was carried out in a population of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus by means of a survey with information related to the clinical control of the patients, the sociodemographic and economic situations of their families, and the importance that the families attached to health care. The sample population had had the disease for over 2 yr, had no associated pathology, and was followed in an Argentinean hospital. Results: Data from 148 patients, 71 male (48%), were collected, with a mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 9.3 ± 1.62%. Patients with HbA1c <8.4% (25th percentile) were considered as having better metabolic control (BC), and those with HbA1c >10% (75th percentile) were considered with poorer control (PC). PC was significantly associated with the fact that the patients’ biological parents did not live together (p = 0.01) and had not done the diabetic education together at debut of diabetes (p = 0.007). A linear regression model was used to analyze predictors of BC: presence of both parents during diabetes instruction (OR: 3.82), both parents lived together with the patient (OR: 2.39), and lower age of patients (OR: 0.89). Predictors of PC were unsatisfied basic food needs (OR: 4.33) and mothers’ low level of education (OR: 2.13). Conclusions: This study showed that socioeconomic and familial factors were strongly associated with metabolic control, and they will allow us to make an early detection of those patients who are more susceptible of having poor progression of diabetes.     

The prevalence of microalbuminuria in diabetic children and adolescents and its relation to puberty

The albumin excretion rate (AER) was studied in two groups of diabetic children and adolescents. Twenty-four-hour AER was studied in 75 children with diabetes for 5 years, in 49 children with diabetes for 10 years, in 55 children with diabetes for 10-20 years and in 21 age matched healthy controls. Overnight AER was studied in 129 diabetic children and adolescents with a duration of diabetes varying from 1-14 years. Diabetics exhibited a wide range of AER-values and when expressed per body surface area, diabetic children had significantly higher AER compared to controls. Log transformed AER-values were significantly correlated to age and body surface area in diabetics but not in controls. In the diabetics, log AER was also correlated to systolic and diastolic blood pressure but not to HbA1c. 20% of the diabetics had AER values exceeding the upper value for healthy controls which was 18.5 micrograms/min. 31/35 of them were older than 12 years. In both groups of diabetics, 5% had AER-values exceeding those reported to be predictive for later development of overt nephropathy, the youngest being 16 years old. When comparing diabetic children 0-12 years (i.e. before the maximal growth spurt of puberty) to those older than 12 years, at the same duration of diabetes, the latter group had significantly higher AER-values. No sex difference was found in either age group. It is concluded that after puberty diabetic patients also show evidence of incipient diabetic nephropathy. Thus, routine screening for microalbuminuria is recommended also in pediatric diabetes care after 12 years of age.     

Effects of iron deficiency anemia on hemoglobin A1c in type 1 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND: The relationship between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and iron status in type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) has not been adequately studied. In this prospective investigation, we aimed to determine the effect of iron deficiency on HbA1c in diabetic patients who also had insufficient iron stores. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with type 1 DM were included in the study. Eleven of them were also iron deficient (ID) and the remaining 26 were iron-sufficient (IS). Two non-diabetic control groups were selected for the ID and IS groups. All patients with ID were treated with iron at 6 mg/kg per day for 3 months. Glycemia in diabetic patients was monitored at home before breakfast and supper by a glycometer. Hemoglobin A1c was measured in all subjects at the beginning and the end of the study. RESULTS: Patients with ID DM had higher levels of HbA1c than those in the control group (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the weekly average glucose concentration of the patients with ID DM before and after iron supplementation. In contrast, HbA1c decreased from a mean of 10.1 +/- 2.7% to a mean of 8.2 +/- 3.1% (P < 0.05). Additionally, HbA1c in ID non-diabetic patients decreased from a mean of 7.6 +/- 2.6% to 6.2 +/- 1.4% after iron therapy (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that among type 1 DM patients with similar level of glycemia, iron deficiency anemia is associated with higher concentrations of HbA1c. In addition, iron replacement therapy leads to a drop in HbA1c in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. The iron status of the patient must be considered during the interpretation of HbA1c concentrations in type 1 DM.