FREQUENCY AND CORRELATES OF SEVERE HYPOGLYCEMIA IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH DIABETES-MELLITUS

Frequency and correlates of severe hypoglycaemia have been retrospecti vely analysed in a cohort of diabetic children and adolescents with me dian (range) age 14.5 (3.2-25.5) years followed from the onset of the disease by the same diabetic clinic. During the years 1992-1994, 53 of the 187 patients reported 74 hypoglycaemic episodes: the average freq uency of hypoglycaemia during the 3 years surveyed was 14.9 episodes/1 00 patients per year. Frequency of hypoglycaemia decreased significant ly with age (chi(2) = 24.1; P < 0.0001) and was independent of duratio n of diabetes. Glycosylated haemoglobin and insulin dose were similar in patients with and without hypoglycaemia, matched for age and durati on of diabetes. One out of two hypoglycaemic episodes occurred during sleep and no explanation was available for 50% of episodes. Conclusion In this study severe hypoglycaemia was more frequent in young childre n than in adolescents and was independent of metabolic control and ins ulin dose.