Childhood diabetes mellitus in Kano, North West, Nigeria

There is paucity of literature on childhood diabetes mellitus from developing countries and especially North west Nigeria and this has made it pertinent for documentation of the features of the disease in a major regional referral centre. The study was designed to describe the clinical presentation and outcome of childhood diabetes mellitus.

Retrospective review of hospital records of paediatric patients managed for diabetes at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano. Nigeria between January 1999 and December 2006. The age, sex, presenting features, complications, laboratory features and outcome of the patients were retrieved from the hospital records:

During the years under review eleven out of 3,585 admissions were managed for Type 1 diabetes mellitus giving a prevalence rate of 3.1/1000. Male to female ratio was 1:0.6. The mean age at presentation was 10 +/- 4.5 years most of the patients (72.7%) belonged to the lower socio-economic classes IV and V. The duration of symptoms ranged from 6 58 days with a mean of 24 +/- 22.8 days. The patients presented with urinary tract infections (36.4%), malaria (27.3%) and recurrent boils (18.2%). Three (27.3%) of the patients had polyuria and polydypsia while only one (91%) patient had polyphagia and weight loss. The mean random blood glucose on admission was 28.5 +/- 7.9 mmo/L (16.9 39.2mmo/L). Four patient presented with diabetic Keloacidosis. Two patients (18.2%) were discharged against medical advice while 1 (9.1%) patient died.

Childhood Diabetes Mellitus, remains relatively uncommon in Nigeria.