AGE AND SEX RELATED EFFECT ON HbA1c LEVELS IN CHILDREN WITH INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETES MELLITUS |[lpar]|IDDM|[rpar]|

In a nationwide screening for HbA1C in Denmark all 22 diabetic paediatric departments participated. During a period of 4 months a total number of 791 children (approximately 75% of total) was included. Among these 319 were ≤12y and 472 between 12 and 18y. Mean HbA1c for children ≤12 y was 8.9% ±1.5 (SD), mean insulin dosage being 0.70 U/kg/24h, range 0.04-2.24 U/kg/24h. For children between 12 and 18y mean HbA1c was 9.4% ±2.0(SD) (compared to children ≤12y, p<0.001) mean insulin dosis being 0.85 U/kg/24h, range 0.00-3.24 U/kg/24h. Among the 319 children ≤12y, 174 were boys and 145 were girls. For both groups mean HbA1c was 8.9 ±1.5(SD). Mean insulin dosage for boys was 0.66 U/kg/24h in contrast to 0.74 U/kg/24h for the girls. In the group of children between 12 and 18y mean HbA1c among 250 boys was 9.5% ±2.0(SD) and for the remaining 222 girls 9.9% ±1.9(SD) (p<0.001). Insulin dosis was again consistently higher for the girls being 0.89 U/kg/24h compared to 0.80 U/kg/24h for the boys. In spite of increased insulin dosage HbA1c increased with age especially in girls, suggesting age and sex related changes in insulin sensitivity.