JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM, cilt.14, sa.4, ss.435-441, 2001 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
A better understanding of the remission phase, while residual beta -cell function is still present in recently diagnosed type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes mellitus (IDDM), is very important because of the potential for pharmacological intervention to preserve this function. To evaluate the natural course and characteristics of the remission phase in children and adolescents with IDDM, a retrospective study was performed on patients diagnosed with IDDM under the age of 18 years during the years 1991-1998. Sixty-two patients whose medical records were available were included in the study. Data were collected by reviewing the hospital records of patients from the time of diagnosis through the first 24 months after diagnosis. The duration of symptoms and history of infection prior to presentation, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at diagnosis, length of hospitalization, initial glucose level, basal C-peptide levels at diagnosis, daily insulin requirements per kg body weight and HbA(1c) at diagnosis and at each visit were recorded. Thirty-five patients (56.5%) entered partial remission. We observed similar remission rates in those aged <10 and