Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in Children under 5 Years of Age: Multicentric Study of 22 Cases

Abstract

Introduction: The incidence of T1D is increasing worldwide, particularly in young children under 6 years of age. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of type 1 diabetes in children under 5 years of age in our resource-limited country setting. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective, descriptive study over a period from January 2018 to July 2022 in Dakar. All type 1 diabetic children under 5 years of age were included except those with an unusable file or less than 6 months of follow-up. Results: We collected 22 records of children aged 0 to 5 years, with a prevalence of 7.8% of all children followed in the two centers. The socioeconomic level was considered average for 54% of patients. Ketoacidosis was the main mode of discovery in our patients (86%). The nutritional status was good for 77% of the children followed and 5% were overweight. The average HbA1c was 10.57 ± 0.5%. Analog insulins were the main insulins used by our patients, (64%). The average daily dose of insulin was 1.08 IU /kg. The diet was normal in the majority of patients (90%). No patient had a chronic complication during follow-up. Severe hypoglycemia was noted in 20% of cases. All our patients benefited from daily glycemic monitoring and had a notebook available. The monitoring rate was 3 checks, i.e. one check before each meal. No deaths were reported. Conclusion: Diabetes in children under 5 years of age is not common. The majority of children are on insulin analogues with a glycemic control far from optimal. A prospective study could allow us to better identify the problems in order to provide appropriate solutions.