[Diabetic ketoacidosis (causes, clinico-biochemical correlations and terminology problems)].

The clinical and biochemical data obtained in 85 patients with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) are presented. DKA is an acute exacerbation of diabetes, a characteristic clinico-biochemical syndrome including increasing thirst, polyuria, adynamia, dryness of the skin and mucous membranes, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, occasionally abdominal pain, Kussmaul's breath, acetone odour in the exhaled air, circulatory collapse, prerenal azotemia, stupor, coma. Glycemia level exceeds 19 mmol/l, blood pH over 7.3. The disease is marked by neutrophilic leukocytosis, blood count shift to the left, elevated blood content of creatinine and urea. It was established that the degree of consciousness abnormality does not always correlate with the degree of the clinico-biochemical manifestations of DKA. During DKA, coma occurs relatively seldom (5.9%). It is suggested to use the term "diabetic ketoacidosis", incipient or marked, indicating the degree of consciousness abnormality (stupor, coma).