Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis Admissions to COVID-19 Free UAE Tertiary Center during Pandemic

Background: COVID-19 pandemic led to delayed diagnosis and increase in number and severity of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) cases in pediatric population worldwide. The indirect impact of the pandemic on pediatric DKA admissions to COVID-19-free hospitals worth to b...

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Main Authors: Shoroogh Marei, Dalia Ra’a Said, Raya Almazrouei, Walid Kaplan, Noura Al Hassani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Karger Publishers 2023-12-01
Series:Dubai Diabetes and Endocrinology Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://beta.karger.com/Article/FullText/534940
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author Shoroogh Marei
Dalia Ra’a Said
Raya Almazrouei
Walid Kaplan
Noura Al Hassani
author_facet Shoroogh Marei
Dalia Ra’a Said
Raya Almazrouei
Walid Kaplan
Noura Al Hassani
author_sort Shoroogh Marei
collection DOAJ
description Background: COVID-19 pandemic led to delayed diagnosis and increase in number and severity of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) cases in pediatric population worldwide. The indirect impact of the pandemic on pediatric DKA admissions to COVID-19-free hospitals worth to be evaluated. Objectives: Our aim was to evaluate the characteristics and severity of DKA admissions before and during the pandemic to COVID-19-free hospital. Methods: This descriptive retrospective study included 130 episodes of DKA for patients aged below 16 years admitted to Tawam Hospital, a COVID-19-free hospital, between March 2017 and Feb 2021. Data from March 2020 to Feb 2021 (pandemic) were compared to the previous 3 years, March 2017 to Feb 2020 (pre-pandemic). Data were retrieved from the electronic records and analyzed using STATA13. Results: We evaluated 130 DKA admissions (63 pandemic and 67 pre-pandemic). The majority of patients in the pandemic group were in, the age group of (6–11.9 years) (54% vs. 23.9%, p = 0.001), and higher proportion of them was diagnosed with new-onset diabetes (42.9% vs. 25.4%, p = 0.035). Overall, there was no significant difference in symptoms duration, DKA severity, or time to DKA resolution, but there was a difference in the median (IQR) HbA1C, 11% (9.4–12.95) vs. 10.15% (9.27–11.80) (p = 0.0297) in the pandemic and pre-pandemic groups, respectively. Conclusion: In our COVID-19-free hospital, the pandemic and service reallocation has led to an increased rate of DKA admissions with increased number of newly diagnosed T1DM. Clinical presentation and severity were not adversely affected.
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spelling doaj.art-2d9086a345a44955b2052ac45ccc46112024-01-04T07:27:23ZengKarger PublishersDubai Diabetes and Endocrinology Journal2673-17382023-12-011710.1159/000534940534940Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis Admissions to COVID-19 Free UAE Tertiary Center during PandemicShoroogh Marei0Dalia Ra’a Said1Raya Almazrouei2Walid Kaplan3Noura Al Hassani4Pediatric Residency Program, Department of Pediatric, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesPediatric Residency Program, Department of Pediatric, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesDivision of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesDivision of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatric, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesDivision of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatric, Tawam Hospital and College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesBackground: COVID-19 pandemic led to delayed diagnosis and increase in number and severity of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) cases in pediatric population worldwide. The indirect impact of the pandemic on pediatric DKA admissions to COVID-19-free hospitals worth to be evaluated. Objectives: Our aim was to evaluate the characteristics and severity of DKA admissions before and during the pandemic to COVID-19-free hospital. Methods: This descriptive retrospective study included 130 episodes of DKA for patients aged below 16 years admitted to Tawam Hospital, a COVID-19-free hospital, between March 2017 and Feb 2021. Data from March 2020 to Feb 2021 (pandemic) were compared to the previous 3 years, March 2017 to Feb 2020 (pre-pandemic). Data were retrieved from the electronic records and analyzed using STATA13. Results: We evaluated 130 DKA admissions (63 pandemic and 67 pre-pandemic). The majority of patients in the pandemic group were in, the age group of (6–11.9 years) (54% vs. 23.9%, p = 0.001), and higher proportion of them was diagnosed with new-onset diabetes (42.9% vs. 25.4%, p = 0.035). Overall, there was no significant difference in symptoms duration, DKA severity, or time to DKA resolution, but there was a difference in the median (IQR) HbA1C, 11% (9.4–12.95) vs. 10.15% (9.27–11.80) (p = 0.0297) in the pandemic and pre-pandemic groups, respectively. Conclusion: In our COVID-19-free hospital, the pandemic and service reallocation has led to an increased rate of DKA admissions with increased number of newly diagnosed T1DM. Clinical presentation and severity were not adversely affected.https://beta.karger.com/Article/FullText/534940diabetic ketoacidosistype 1 diabetes mellituscovid-19pediatric populationuae
spellingShingle Shoroogh Marei
Dalia Ra’a Said
Raya Almazrouei
Walid Kaplan
Noura Al Hassani
Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis Admissions to COVID-19 Free UAE Tertiary Center during Pandemic
Dubai Diabetes and Endocrinology Journal
diabetic ketoacidosis
type 1 diabetes mellitus
covid-19
pediatric population
uae
title Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis Admissions to COVID-19 Free UAE Tertiary Center during Pandemic
title_full Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis Admissions to COVID-19 Free UAE Tertiary Center during Pandemic
title_fullStr Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis Admissions to COVID-19 Free UAE Tertiary Center during Pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis Admissions to COVID-19 Free UAE Tertiary Center during Pandemic
title_short Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis Admissions to COVID-19 Free UAE Tertiary Center during Pandemic
title_sort clinical and biochemical characteristics of pediatric diabetic ketoacidosis admissions to covid 19 free uae tertiary center during pandemic
topic diabetic ketoacidosis
type 1 diabetes mellitus
covid-19
pediatric population
uae
url https://beta.karger.com/Article/FullText/534940
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