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Incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus in Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
H R Lisbôa1, R Graebin, L Butzke
1Departamento de Medicina Interna, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Passo Fundo, RS, Brasil. hlisboa@pro.via-rs.com.br
Insights
This study determined the incidence of type 1 diabetes in children in Passo Fundo, Brazil. The findings reveal a childhood type 1 diabetes rate comparable to developed nations.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Type 1 diabetes incidence varies globally, with potential regional disparities.
- Understanding childhood type 1 diabetes rates is crucial for public health planning.
- Previous research suggested a North-South gradient in diabetes incidence, possibly linked to genetics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of type 1 diabetes in children under 15 years of age in Passo Fundo, Brazil.
- To compare the incidence in a subtropical Southern Brazilian region with global data.
- To investigate potential factors influencing diabetes incidence in the studied population.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective and prospective population-based registry was utilized for case identification.
- Physician reports of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes cases in children aged 0-14 years were the primary data source.
- Schools and media outreach served as secondary sources for case ascertainment, aiming for 100% coverage.
Main Results:
- Six new cases of type 1 diabetes were identified in 1996.
- The incidence of type 1 diabetes in children aged 0-14 years was calculated at 12 per 100,000 inhabitants.
- Case ascertainment was estimated to be 100%.
Conclusions:
- The incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes in Passo Fundo, Brazil, is similar to rates observed in developed countries.
- The study did not observe the previously suggested North-South gradient in diabetes incidence.
- The European ancestry of the local population may explain the absence of the expected gradient.
Abstract:
To establish the incidence of type 1 diabetes among children (infants to 14 years of age) in the city of Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (population under 15 years = 50,098), during the period of January to December 1996, a retrospective and prospective population-based registry was established, using physician reports of newly diagnosed patients under 15 years of age with type 1 diabetes as the primary source of case identification. Primary and nursery schools and a general call through the media (newspapers, radio and television) was the secondary source. Data were calculated according to the methods recommended by the WHO (1990). Six new cases were identified. Case ascertainment was estimated at 100%. The incidence of type 1 diabetes in the year 1996 was 12/100,000 inhabitants. These data indicate that the incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes in a subtropical region in the Southern part of Brazil was similar to that observed in developed countries throughout the world. The inability to demonstrate the North-South gradient is probably due to the European origin of inhabitants of the city.