Infantile-onset diabetes mellitus: a 1-year follow-up study

This study evaluates the clinical profiles and outcomes of children with infantile-onset diabetes mellitus (IODM) (onset at <1 year). Twelve infants with IODM presenting to our hospital from January 2003 to December 2007 are analyzed. All undergo thorough history, clinical examination, and investigations and are managed as per hospital-approved protocol and periodically followed up. Of 12 infants (3 boys and 9 girls), 9 have a family history of DM. The median age at onset is 2.5 months. Six infants have features suggestive of Wolcott-Rallison syndrome (WRS), 4 infants have type 1 DM, and 1 infant each has Fanconi-Bickel syndrome and maturity-onset diabetes of young. None have pancreatic agenesis or calculi. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing shows DQ3 and DR15 alleles predominating. Two children with WRS died; the rest are being followed up. The incidence of IODM is increasing, with multiple syndromic associations rather than a single perspective.