Background and Objectives: The incidence of severe and moderate forms of DKA as the initial presentation of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is increasing, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This poses a higher risk of developing cerebral edema as a complication of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), as well as morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of this study was to determine the trend and clinical features of children treated in the last 10 years in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) due to the development of DKA. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was performed in the PICU, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, in Croatia. All children diagnosed with DKA from 2011–2020 were included in this study. Data were received from hospital medical documentation and patient paper history. The number of new cases and severity of DKA were identified and classified using recent International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) guidelines. Results: In this investigation period, 194 children with newly diagnosed T1D were admitted to our hospital: 58 of them were treated in the PICU due to DKA; 48 had newly diagnosed T1D (48/58); and ten previously diagnosed T1D (10/58). DKA as the initial presentation of T1D was diagnosed in 24.7% (48/194). Moderate or severe dehydration was present in 76% of the children at hospital admission. Polyuria, polydipsia, and Kussmaul breathing were the most common signs. Three patients (5.2%) developed cerebral edema, of whom one died. Conclusions: During the investigation period a rising trend in T1D was noted, especially in 2020. About one quarter of children with T1D presented with DKA at initial diagnosis in western Croatia, most of them with a severe form. Good education of the general population, along with the patients and families of children with diabetes, is crucial to prevent the development of DKA and thus reduce severe complications.

Cilj: Osvijestiti o mogućnosti postojanja sindroma Rapunzel u adolescentica s akutnim pankreatitisom. Prikaz slučaja: U hitnu pedijatrijsku ambulantu javila se petnaestogodišnja djevojka zbog povremenih bolova u gornjem dijelu abdomena koji su se intenzivirali par dana pred dolazak. Prilikom fizikalnog pregleda nađena je u epigastriju i lijevom hipohondriju bolna rezistencija veličine otprilike 10 cm u promjeru. Opsežnom laboratorijskom analizom našle su se povišene koncentracije enzima gušterače te se postavila dijagnoza akutnog pankreatitisa. Daljnjom obradom indicirala se gastroskopija kojom se prikazala masa kose na ulazu u želudac. Kompjutoriziranom tomografijom uočilo se da ona seže sve do bulbusa duodenuma. Nakon provedenog konzervativnog liječenja pankreatitisa abdominalni bolovi su regredirali, došlo je do normalizacije enzima gušterače te je bilo indicirano operativno liječenje. Učinila se eksplorativna laparotomija i gastrotomija. Ekstirpirao se trihobezoar težine 1 kg i dužine 25 cm oblika odljeva lumena želuca i početnog dijela duodenuma. Postavila se dijagnoza sindroma Rapunzel. Dječji psihijatar potvrdio je prisutnu trihotilomaniju i trihofagiju te se djevojku uključilo u psihoterapijski tretman. Zaključak: Sindrom Rapunzel vrlo je rijetko stanje, ali treba biti uključeno u diferencijalnu dijagnozu akutnog pankreatitisa u adolescenata. Specifični simptomi trihotilomanije i trihofagije u kombinaciji s nespecifičnim simptomima, poput dugotrajnog bola u abdomenu, trebali bi pobuditi sumnju na razvoj trihobezoara.