DIABETIC-KETOACIDOSIS IN SAUDI-ARABIA

Objective: To determine the patient characteristics, precipitating fac tors and mortality among diabetic ketoacidosis patients in Saudi Arabi a. Design: Prospective cohort study. Subjects: Eighty-five consecutive adults admitted to King Abdul Aziz and King Fahad Hospital, Madinah A l-Munawarah, Saudi Arabia over a period of 2 years starting May 1991. Diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis based on: serum sugar > 12 mmol wit h ketonuria, arterial pH < 7.30 and bicarbonate < 15.0 mmol. Results: Mean age 35.8 years with male to female ratio 1:2. Non-compliance to c ontinue the treatment and infection the most common precipitating fact ors being responsible for 69.4% and 21.2% cases respectively. A mortal ity rate of 3.5% compares favourably with other studies and indicates high level of medical care in our series. Conclusion: This study indic ates non-compliance as the most common precipitating factor of diabeti c ketoacidosis in Saudi Arabia.