EPIDEMIOLOGY OF IDDM IN SOUTHERN CHINESE CHILDREN IN HONG-KONG

OBJECTIVE- To provide reliable data on the incidence of IDDM in southe rn Chinese children in Hong Kong. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS- A regis try was established in 1991 to collect childhood IDDM cases retrospect ively and prospectively from four districts in Hong Kong. The study in cluded all newly diagnosed cases of IDDM with onset <15 yr of age from 1 January 1986 to 31 December 1990. Primary ascertainment was based o n review of medical records at a regional hospital serving the four di stricts. An independent school survey validated registry data. RESULTS - The completeness of ascertainment was 93.8%. The age-standardized in cidence of IDDM was 2.0/100,000/yr with the 95% confidence interval of 1.2-3.0/100,000/yr for children <15 yr of age during the study period . The incidence rates/100,000/yr for the three age-groups were: less-t han-or-equal-to 4 yr, 0.8; 5-9 yr, 2.2; 10-14 yr, 2.8. The incidence f or males was 1.5/100,000/yr (95% confidence interval 0.7-2.9/100,000/y r) and for females, 2.4/100,000/yr (95% confidence interval 1.3-4.0/10 0,000/yr). CONCLUSIONS- This study documents a very low incidence rate of childhood IDDM in southern Chinese in Hong Kong.