In a report presenting data from 1989±1990 from 26 registries in the EURODIAB Study Group, we showed that an exceptionally wide range of incidence rates for Type I diabetes exists within Europe [1]. New research and reviews, including the EURODI-AB Study Group's recent report on the years 1989±1994, indicate that there has been a rapid increase in the incidence of Type I diabetes in many European countries in the last few decades with a higher rate of increase among children under 5 years of age [2±8]. This increase, in conjunction with the relatively low concordance rate in monozygotic twin pairs, highlights the importance of environmental factorsThis report, based on 10 years of prospective registration by the EURODIAB Study Group, updates the knowledge on the epidemiology of childhood diabetes in Europe. Particular attention is given to an analysis of age-specific, secular trends in different parts of Europe. Diabetologia (2001) Results. The standardised average annual incidence rate of Type I diabetes varied more than tenfold between centres. Overall, the annual increase in incidence was 3.2 % (95 %-CI: 2.7 %, 3.7 %), being highest for children in the 0±4-year age-group 4.8 % (3.8 %, 5.9 %) and lowest for children in the 10±14-year age group 2.1 % (1.4 %, 2.8 %). However, the absolute increases in Type I diabetes were roughly similar in the three age-groups of 0±4, 5±9 and 10±14 years. Central Eastern Europe showed the highest increase whereas Sardinia and Northern Europe (except Finland) showed no evidence of an increase. For all age-groups relatively fewer cases had disease onset during the summer months, especially the 10±14-year age-group. Conclusion/interpretation. The extremely large range of incidence rates within Europe has been confirmed. The incidence rate is generally increasing but is more pronounced in some regions than in others. Seasonality at disease onset is apparent even in the youngest agegroup. [Diabetologia (2001)
There is no association between Type 1 diabetes mellitus and birth weight in this study. Furthermore, variables related to birth weight and length cannot explain why some pairs are concordant while other remain discordant.
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