COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN TYPE-1 DIABETIC CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT EPISODES OF SEVERE HYPOGLYCEMIA

We assessed the effect of diabetes and of episodes of severe hypoglyca emia on cognitive function in 28 diabetic children. Fifteen diabetic c hildren (age 13.9 (SD 2.0) years) had experienced 1-4 episodes of seve re hypoglycaemia. Five of these children diseased before the age of 5 years (SH-eod subgroup), and ten diseased after this age (SH-lod subgr oup). Thirteen diabetic children (age 13.1 (SD 2.0) years) had not exp erienced episodes of seven hypoglycaemia (non-SH group). Each diabetic child was compared with a healthy control child of the same age and g ender and with a similar social background. Neuropsychological assessm ent was blinded. The neuropsychological tests were grouped into one of seven cognitive domains. We found no effect on cognitive performance from diabetes per se or from severe hypoglycaemia in children with lat e-onset diabetes. However, early-onset diabetes was associated with lo w scores in two cognitive domains: psychomotor efficiency and attentio n. The SH-eod subgroup had lower scores than the SH-lod subgroup in ps ychomotor efficiency (p < 0.05) and also had lower scores than the SH- lod subgroup and the non-SH group in measures of attention (p < 0.05). Our results may indicate a slight cognitive dysfunction in children w ith early-onset diabetes who have experienced episodes of seven hypogl ycaemia early in childhood.