Effect of Baseline Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus on Metabolic Control

Objectives: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic metabolic disease that is common in childhood. Good metabolic control slows down and even prevents development of diabetes-related micro-vascular complications. Therefore determination of the affecting factors for metabolic control is important. To evaluate effect of at the time of diagnosis demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of children and adolescents with T1DM on metabolic control. Materials and Methods: The metabolic control status was evaluated according to the mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values of the recent one year as good (HbA1c <7.5%), moderate (HbA1c 7.5-9%) and poor (HbA1c >9%). The patient data and the mean HbA1c levels were compared. Results: Data were collected on 144 patients with T1DM. The peak ages at diagnosis were determined to be 4-6 years (21.52%) and 12-14 years (20.83%). The first-degree relatives had the diagnosis of T1DM in 10% of the patients. The mean HbA1c value was determined as 7.7% (7.2-8.8) in girls and 7.8% (7.0-8.6) in boys. Metabolic control was good in 38.19%, moderate in 41.68% and poor in 20.13%. The mean age at diagnosis was 9.13±4.30 years in the patients with good metabolic control and 10.19±4.26 years in patients with poor metabolic control (p=0.252). Metabolic control was found to be better in the patients who had T1DM in the family (p=0.002). Conclusion: Metabolic control was found to be good in patients who had DM in the family. It is thought that patients and their families care about diabetes management after diagnosis, regulate their lifestyle according to diabetes. According to the result, increasing the awareness of diabetes in the family and continuing the motivating trainings for the patients will have a positive effect on the management of diabetes.