OBJECTIVE -The aim of this data analysis was to ascertain the type and prevalence rate as well as age and sex distribution of cardiovascular risk factors in type 1 diabetic patients up to 26 years of age.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -Cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, poor glycemic control, and smoking were analyzed in 27,358 patients who were divided into three groups (prepubertal, pubertal, and adult) using specifically designed diabetes software for prospective disease documentation.RESULTS -More than half of the patients per age-group had at least one cardiovascular risk factor. Two risk factors were age dependently found in 6.2-21.7% and three or four risk factors in 0.5-4.7%. Elevated values of HbA 1c , total cholesterol, and BMI were found most frequently. Hypertension, smoking, and HDL cholesterol were observed more frequently in males, and elevated BMI, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol more often in females. Although 28.6% of the patients had dyslipidemia, merely 0.4% of them received medical treatment, and of the 8.1% of the patients with hypertension, only 2.1% of them were given antihypertensive medication.CONCLUSIONS -With increasing age, a greater number of patients with cardiovascular risk factors were observed. Significant sex differences were seen in the majority of risk factors. Despite the high prevalence of risk factors, only a small minority of patients received antihypertensive or lipid-lowering treatment. Early identification, prevention, and treatment of additional risk factors seem to be necessary, particularly in light of the high incidence of future cardiovascular disease. Diabetes Care 29:218 -225, 2006T ype 1 diabetes is increasingly recognized as an independent risk factor for premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) and elevated cardiovascular death rate in patients aged 20 -39 years (1). Postmortem studies in children and youth who had died an unnatural death also showed that the development of atherosclerotic lesions of the vessel wall starts in childhood and that there is a close relationship to cardiovascular risk factors. In the Bogalusa Heart Study (2) and the Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY) study (3), the evaluation of premortal existing risk factors (glycohemoglobin Ͼ8%, increased lipids, hypertension, obesity, and smoking) verified their unfavorable influence on the progression of atherosclerosis. Because childhood and adolescence diabetes is commonly associated with additional risk factors (4,5), we conducted this analysis to obtain reliable data about character and prevalence rate as well as age and sex differences of potential atherogenic risk factors in a large population of German children, adolescents, and young adults with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN ANDMETHODS -Based on the continuous diabetes data acquisition system for prospective surveillance (DPV), a crosssectional analysis was carried out to evaluate associated cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 1 diabetes. The data do...

No abstract

Objective: To investigate rates and risk factors of hospital admission for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or severe hypoglycemia in young patients with established type 1 diabetes. Design: In total, 31 330 patients with type 1 diabetes (median age 12.7 years) from the Diabetes Patienten Verlaufsdokumentation (DPV) Prospective Diabetes Registry treated between 2011 and 2013 in Germany were included. Methods: Admission rates for DKA (pH !7.3 or bicarbonate !15 mmol/l) and severe hypoglycemia (requiring assistance from another person) were calculated by negative binomial regression analysis. Associations of DKA or hypoglycemia with patient and treatment characteristics were assessed by multivariable regression analysis. Results: The mean admission rate for DKA was 4.81/100 patient-years (95% CI, 4.51-5.14). The highest DKA rates were observed in patients with HbA1c R9.0% (15.83 (14.44-17.36)), age 15-20 years (6.21 (5.61-6.88)) and diabetes duration of 2-4.9 years (5.60 (5.00-6.27)). DKA rate was higher in girls than in boys (5.35 (4.88-5.86) vs 4.34 (3.95-4.77), PZ0.002), and more frequent in migrants than in non-migrants (5.65 (4.92-6.49) vs 4.57 (4.23-4.93), PZ0.008). The mean admission rate for severe hypoglycemia was 1.45/100 patient-years (1.30-1.61). Rates were higher in migrants compared to non-migrants (2.13 (1.72-2.65) vs 1.28 (1.12-1.47), P!0.001), and highest in individuals with severe hypoglycemia within the preceding year (17.69 (15.63-20.03) vs patients without preceding hypoglycemia 0.42 (0.35-0.52), P!0.001). Differences remained significant after multivariable adjustment. Conclusions: The identification of at-risk individuals for DKA (patients with high HbA1c, longer diabetes duration, adolescents, girls) and for severe hypoglycemia (patients with preceding severe hypoglycemia, migrants) may facilitate targeted diabetes counselling in order to prevent these complications.

No abstract

The severity of the clinical course in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) associated with Clostridium perfringens (Cp) may support the hypothesis of a specific disease. We conducted a case control study of infants diagnosed with NEC, who underwent surgical treatment over a 7-year period. Patient histories examined characteristics of the infants, bacterial infection as well as NEC's severity, antibiotic treatment, and clinical course. Infants infected with NEC associated with Cp were compared with NEC patients without Cp. The alpha toxin from Cp type A was detected in most of the isolated strains. Cp was identified as a causative agent of NEC in nine cases. As compared with the control group (n = 32), the onset of disease was earlier in life, the clinical course more severe, and patients had a larger extent of gangrene. Portal venous gas was evident in 77% of all Cp cases, as compared to 25% in the control group. The mortality rate was 44% in the Cp group, and only 18.7% in the control group. Type A Clostridium perfringens was identified in six cases. In each isolate alpha toxin production was proven, but without any correlation to the severity of the clinical course, the extent of intestinal gangrene or mortality. In premature infants NEC in conjunction with Cp seems to be more severe than other NEC cases; it also entails higher mortality and morbidity. Alpha toxin concentrations do not correlate with the severity of the disease. Portal venous gas is highly suggestive for the diagnosis of Cp infection.