Clinical characterization of diabetic ketoacidosis in hospitalized children under 15 years of age

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetic ketoacidosis is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in children with T1 diabetes mellitus, due to the multiple associated biochemical and metabolic alterations, as well as the severity of its complications.
Objective: Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics of diabetic ketoacidosis in children under 15 years of age hospitalized at the "Gueddi Bakir" EHS in the period from January to December 2023.
Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study, in the "Gueddi Bakir" EHS, belonging to the Ghardaia commune, in Algeria, in the period from January to December 2023. The population under study was the 42 patients admitted with a diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis. The estimated variables were age, sex, severity, clinical manifestations, triggering factors and complications. Absolute frequency and relative percentages were used as descriptive statistics.
Results: The average age was 8.67 years; 54.76% were males and 45.24% were females. 100.00% of patients showed weakness and clinical signs of dehydration, vomiting 90.48%, abdominal pain 83.33% and hyperventilation 50 %. According to severity, 69.05% were stratified with moderate symptoms. The debut of T1 diabetes mellitus was the triggering factor in 66.67% and 42.86% presented electrolyte alterations.
Conclusions: Diabetic ketoacidosis was more common in males between 5-10 years and 11-15 years. All patients showed weakness and signs of dehydration, accompanied in most cases by vomiting, abdominal pain and hyperventilation. In more than half of the patients, DKA was moderate and presented as the onset of T1 diabetes mellitus. Electrolyte disorders were the main complication.
DeCS: DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS/complications; CHILD; CHILD, HOSPITALIZED; DIABETES MELLITUS T1/complications; KETOSIS.