A COLD SPOT OF IDDM INCIDENCE IN EUROPE - MACEDONIA

OBJECTIVE - To determine, for the first time, the incidence of IDDM am ong children 0-15 yr of age in Macedonia, the south republic of former Yugoslavia, and to compare these rates with those from neighboring co untries. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - Children < 15 yr of age, with I DDM diagnosed between January 1985 and December 1991, were registered using the criteria established for the WHO Multinational Project for C hildhood Diabetes. The primary source of case ascertainment consisted of clinical records from the University Pediatric Clinic in Skopje, th e capital of Macedonia. The secondary source consisted of records for insulin supplies from the pharmacy in Skopje and from 15 local hospita ls. RESULTS - During 1985-1991, 112 children < 15 yr of age were diagn osed with IDDM in Macedonia. The completeness of case ascertainment wa s 96.6%. The age-adjusted IDDM incidence rate was very low, only 2.45/ 100,000 per yr. No significant sex difference in incidence was observe d. The highest incidence rate occurred in the 10- to 15-yr age-group. No temporal trends were observed. CONCLUSIONS - The incidence of IDDM in Macedonia is the lowest in Europe and among the lowest reported for Caucasian populations. However, the descriptive epidemiology is simil ar to that for high incidence populations. Further etiological studies are required to evaluate potential reasons for the very low incidence of IDDM in Macedonia.