THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF DIABETES-MELLITUS IN THE UNITED-KINGDOM - THE YORKSHIRE REGIONAL CHILDHOOD DIABETES REGISTER

A register of the incidence of Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mel litus in the Yorkshire region of the United Kingdom has been completed . A total of 1,490 subjects aged between 0 and 16 years were identifie d from 1978 to 1990, giving an incidence of 13.7 per 100,000 (ages 0-1 4) or 13.6 per 100,000 (ages 0-16), comparable to other recent studies in the United Kingdom. An age-period-cohort analysis shows evidence f or a modest drift effect of 1.75% per year (95 % confidence interval 0 .28 to 3.25%). There is a marked epidemic pattern with peaks at 4-year intervals. The age-incidence curve is similar to that reported elsewh ere, having peaks in early childhood and puberty. Girls have an earlie r pubertal peak than boys. There is substantial seasonal variation in incidence confined to those over 5 years of age. Ascertainment is beli eved to be very complete, and is estimated to be 97.6% (95% confidence interval 97.2% to 98.1%).