Objective: To retrospectively evaluate the effect of type 1 diabetes on growth.
Methods: Patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) followed for at least one year after diagnosis, and without coexisting disorder that could affect growth, were included in this retrospective analysis. Height and body mass index (BMI) values were recorded. According to the data obtained at the end of each year of disease, the patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 (patients whose height standard deviation score (SDS) did not change or showed improvement) and Group 2 (patients whose height SDS showed a decline). The two groups were compared with respect to clinical and laboratory variables.
Results: Among the 248 patients followed, 101 (M/F:55/46) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Overall, the mean height SDS of the patients did not change significantly during the follow-up period. BMI SDS showed no change during the course of the disease, except for a significant rise observed at the end of the first year compared to the value at diagnosis. Height SDS of the patients in Group 1 was higher compared to those in Group 2 from the 2nd year of disease onwards (2nd year, p=0.03; 3rd year, p=0.02; 4th year, p=0.01; 5th year, p=0.03). The ratio of patients presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis at onset was significantly higher in Group 1 at the 4th year of diagnosis (p=0.03). Additionally, the mean HbA1c level showed a modest negative correlation with Δ height SDS at the 3rd year of diagnosis (r=-0.3, p=0.03).
Conclusions: No significant deteriorative effect of T1DM on auxological parameters was observed at short term. Some clinical and laboratory variables related with metabolic control were found to correlate with growth.
Keywords: body mass index; children; growth; height; type 1 diabetes mellitus.