The Frequency of Disturbances of Somatic Development in Young People with Type I Diabetes in Dependence on Duration and Age at Onset of the Disease^*)

Summary

The height, weight and menarche of children and young people treated in the Children's Clinic as in-patients in 1987 was determined in dependence on the age at onset of diabetes and the duration of the disease, and the frequency of the disturbances of somatic development were shown. A growth retardation was registered in 1.8% only while the frequency of obesity amounted to 10%; 13.9% in female and 6.3% in male type I diabetics. However, the overall percentage of obesity in diabetics does not differ significantly from that in healthy subjects of corresponding age. With a higher age of onset, the frequency of adiposity increased significantly in both sexes; the highest frequency was shown by the girls who contracted the disease between the ages of 10 and 14.

While the frequency of adiposity decreased significantly in male patients with increasing duration of diabetes, a non-significant increase was observed in female probands. There was no connection between adiposity and insulin dosage.

The mean age for menarche in diabetic girls was determined at 13.4 years. The greatest, non-significant delay was experienced by those where onset of diabetes was between the ages of 5 and 9. The reason for this retardation is presumably the quality of the metabolism.

Key words

Juvenile diabetes - Height - Weight - Age of menarche