Neurological Alterations in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Among Adolescents

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of chronic disorders of metabolism characterised by high blood glucose levels. There is an increased prevalence of Type 1 DM in children and adolescents with its adverse complications especially microvascular ones (retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy) that might cause multiple organ damage.
 AIM: To study the relation between DM and neurological affection.
 METHODS: Fifty-nine children with type I DM, divided randomly into 2 groups, aged 8-18 years old of both sexes were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. All children were subjected to full history taking, physical, neurological and systemic examination.
 RESULTS: There was an affection of motor power in both upper limbs as well as lower limbs. Also, we found that there was an affection of the superficial peripheral sensation affecting both upper and lower limbs.
 CONCLUSION: Neurological assessment of children with diabetes mellitus type I should be a routine to early discover these manifestations which can have a deteriorating effect on the child’s health.