Incidence of Type 1 Diabetes in Children Aged 0-14 Years in Trentino-Alto Adige Region and Determinants of Onset with Ketoacidosis.

AIM

To assess the incidence and the temporal trend of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) during the period 2014-2023 in youths aged 0-14 years in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, Italy.

METHODS

A retrospective review of all incident cases of T1D diagnosed at the two Pediatric Diabetes Centers of Bolzano and Trento was matched with diabetes exemptions (No. 344). Demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic status (SES) data at first hospitalization were collected from subjects who agreed to participate (No. 272).

RESULTS

The incidence of T1D was 21.5/100,000 person/years, with a peak of 31.1 in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mean age at the onset was 8.8 ± 3.9 years. Seventy-nine percent of the subjects were Italians, primarily residents in rural areas, and SES was equally represented. The mean incidence of DKA was 36.9%. The logistic regression analysis showed that the independent characteristics of the patients with DKA were of a younger age and displayed higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values. No relation of DKA with seasonality, ethnicity, or first-degree relative (FDR) with T1D or SES was detected.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed an incidence of T1D in the Trentino-Alto Adige region comparable to other areas in the North of Italy. The DKA rate negatively correlated with age; therefore, targeted prevention educational campaigns to increase awareness are needed.