Patterns of hospitalisation in a paediatric diabetes clinic in Sydney.

The hospital notes of all children with diabetes admitted to the Children's Hospital (both newly diagnosed and subsequent admissions) for the period 1985-1987 were examined. The information collected included basic demographic data, number of bed-days per admission, and reasons for admission. The direct cost of a bed-day and an admission for diabetes in this hospital were calculated. The median duration of an admission at diagnosis was 12 days, and of a subsequent admission 7 days. The proportion of total admissions to the Children's Hospital in 1987 which were due to diabetes (post diagnosis) was eight times the prevalence of IDDM in the 0-14-year population. In 1987, 5.5% of the diabetic patients (excluding new cases) aged 0-19 years and registered with this Diabetes Unit were admitted to hospital. Most of these admissions were for poor control, and were thus potentially preventable. The age group most at risk for admission due to ketoacidosis was the 10-14-year group. The cost of a diabetic bed-day was $Aust 295, average cost of an admission at diagnosis $Aust 3660, and of a post-diagnosis admission $Aust 2680. Thus, even in this young age group there is considerable morbidity due to diabetes, most of which can probably be prevented.