First report on the nationwide incidence and prevalence of Type 1 diabetes among children in Turkey

Diabet Med. 2017 Mar;34(3):405-410. doi: 10.1111/dme.13063. Epub 2016 Feb 12.

Abstract

Aim: To report, for the first time, the incidence and prevalence of childhood Type 1 diabetes in Turkey using a nationwide registry.

Methods: Information on birth date, city of birth, diagnosis date and gender of all patients with Type 1 diabetes aged < 18 years were obtained from the Turkish Social Security Institute for the period from January 2011 to December 2013.

Results: There were 17 175 prevalent cases of Type 1 diabetes over the 3-year period. The prevalence of Type 1 diabetes was 0.75/1 000 (95% CI 0.74-0.76) and was higher in girls than in boys (0.79 vs 0.72 /1 000; P < 0.01). There were 2465 incident cases in 2013. The incidence was slightly higher among girls (50.6%) than boys (49.4%); the girl:boy case ratio was 1.02. The incidence was 10.4/100 000 for boys and 11.3/100 000 for girls. The age-standardized incidence rate was 10.8 per 100 000 (95% CI 10.1-11.5) according to the WHO standard population, estimated using the direct method. The mean patient age at diagnosis was 10.6 ± 4.6 years. The highest proportion of cases (40.6%) was diagnosed in children aged 10-14 years.

Conclusions: This is the first study to report the incidence and prevalence of Type 1 diabetes in children in Turkey. The incidence of Type 1 diabetes reflects the geographical location of Turkey, bridging Asia and Europe, with the incidence being higher than in Asia but lower than in Europe.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Development*
  • Age Factors
  • Child
  • Child Development*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / epidemiology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / ethnology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Registries
  • Risk
  • Sex Factors
  • Turkey / epidemiology