Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2026

A High-Throughput Multiplexed Screening for Type 1 Diabetes, Celiac Diseases, and COVID-19
06:46

A High-Throughput Multiplexed Screening for Type 1 Diabetes, Celiac Diseases, and COVID-19

Published on: July 5, 2022

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in children: Familial and clinical patterns in Riyadh

H Salman1, A Abanamy, B Ghassan

  • 1Suleimania Children's Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Annals of Saudi Medicine
|May 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

Type I diabetes in Saudi children is common, often diagnosed young with diabetic ketoacidosis. Partial remission rates are low, suggesting unique disease characteristics in the region.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Endocrinology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Type I diabetes mellitus (TIDM) prevalence data is scarce in Saudi Arabia, with most reports focusing on Type II.
  • Understanding TIDM in children is crucial for public health initiatives and early intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of Type I diabetes in children in Saudi Arabia.
  • To establish baseline data for future research and clinical management of TIDM in the Saudi pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 110 children diagnosed with TIDM at Suleimania Children's Hospital between 1985-1989.
  • Data collection included patient demographics, age at onset, clinical signs, family history, consanguinity, and remission rates.

Main Results:

  • TIDM affected 110 Saudi children (74.5% Saudis, 53.6% female) with a mean onset age of 5.87 years.
  • Diabetic ketoacidosis was the most common presentation (67.2%), with 30% diagnosed before age three.
  • Partial remission occurred in 30.9% of patients, a lower rate potentially linked to young age at onset and disease severity.

Conclusions:

  • Type I diabetes in Saudi children presents with a notably young age at onset and high rates of diabetic ketoacidosis.
  • Lower partial remission rates suggest distinct disease patterns or management challenges in this population.
  • Further research, including a local registry, is essential to accurately determine TIDM incidence and characteristics in Saudi Arabia.

Related Concept Videos

Diabetes Mellitus: Overview and Type I Subtype01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Overview and Type I Subtype

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose levels due to inadequate insulin production, insulin resistance, or both. The condition affects millions worldwide and can significantly impact their health and quality of life.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body is unable to produce sufficient insulin, and individuals with...
Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations01:19

Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations

Type 1 diabetes mellitus typically presents with rapid-onset symptoms due to the body’s inability to utilize glucose in the absence of insulin. Since insulin is required for glucose uptake into cells, its deficiency leads to hyperglycemia and cellular energy deprivation, resulting in characteristic clinical features.Polyuria and PolydipsiaOne of the earliest, most prominent symptoms is polyuria (excessive urination). When blood glucose concentrations rise above the renal threshold, the kidneys...
Pathophysiology of Diabetes01:20

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility, suggesting a...
Type II Diabetes I: Introduction01:26

Type II Diabetes I: Introduction

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance, in which target tissues such as the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue respond poorly to insulin. It is also associated with inadequate compensatory insulin secretion, where pancreatic β-cells fail to produce sufficient insulin. Together, these abnormalities lead to persistent hyperglycemia.EtiologyT2DM develops through a complex interaction of genetic predisposition and environmental or...
Type I Diabetes I: Introduction01:12

Type I Diabetes I: Introduction

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by an absolute deficiency of insulin resulting from the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β-cells. Although it can occur at any age, it is most commonly diagnosed in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. The loss of insulin production impairs cellular glucose uptake, resulting in persistent hyperglycemia and necessitating lifelong insulin therapy.Autoimmune Destruction of β-CellsThe hallmark of type 1 diabetes is an...
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...