| Increased emphasis on tight glycemic control of type 1 diabetes mellitus in young children may result in an increase in the frequency of severe hypoglycemia (Davis, Keating, Byrne, Russell & Jones, 1998). This investigation was designed to evaluate the frequency and clinical characteristics of severe hypoglycemia (SH) in children less than 13 years of age. Data were obtained from 185 subjects in a pediatric diabetes clinic where intensive management of diabetes is practiced. During a one-year period, details of SH events were collected during a telephone interview with parents following a SH episode. Clinical data on subjects with and without SH were collected by chart review. The rate of SH was 41 episodes per 100 patient-years or 25% of the sample. Lower HgbA1c levels, younger age and shorter duration of diabetes were found in subjects with SH. Sixty-four percent of episodes occurred during sleep. A prior history of SH was noted in 73% of episodes. As intensive treatment of diabetes is implemented in children, further research is needed to investigate the etiology of severe hypoglycemia, so appropriate preventive measures to prevent SH in this population can be identified. |
