Partial remission phase of diabetes in children younger than age 10 years

There is renewed interest in the phase of partial remission in recently dia gnosed diabetes because of the potential for pharmacological and immune int ervention to preserve beta cell function. 95 children younger than 10 years were investigated to assess the influence of age, sex, diabetic ketoacidos is (DKA), admission at diagnosis, and ethnicity on the frequency of remissi on and insulin requirements during the first two years after diagnosis. Par tial remission was defined as a requirement of insulin < 0.5 U/kg body weig ht/day. There was partial remission in 41 patients, with no differences for children aged 2-4 years and those aged 5-9 years. None of the five childre n aged < 2 years remitted. Forty five of 95 children were admitted to hospi tal at diagnosis, of whom 26 of 45 had DKA (blood pH < 7.25). In this numbe r of children we were unable to show a statistical difference in the rate o f remission with respect to DKA, admission to hospital at diagnosis, sex, o r South Asian ethnic background. There were no differences in insulin requi rements between the different groups by the end of two years and at that ti me seven of the children required insulin < 0.5 U/kg/day. The results sugge st that even in preschool children there is potential for attempting to pre serve beta cell function.