Growth of children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus Crecimiento en niños con diabetes mellitus insulino-dependiente

Abstract

Objective: to determire if height of children at diagnosis of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (DDM) is different than m normal children, and if therapy by actual standards promotes normal growth, records of 81 diabetic cnildren were compared to those of a same number of normal age matched controls. Height Z scores at diagnosis were not significantly different in diabetic children [+ 0.05 ± 1.20) and controls (-0.26 ± 1.04), p < 0.06. In 45 diabetic children (20 boys) which were Allowed up for 6.8 ± 3.4 years, height shifted toward smaller Z score values (-0.56 ± . 2 3 ) than those of controls (+ 0.15 ± 0.77; p < 0.03) among boys , but no differences were recorded among diabetic (- 0,73 ± 0.63; p = 0.53) and non diabetic girls. Final height Z score of diabetic children was lower than at diagnosis (p < 0,02), however, of the average, this reduction was mild. Concession: height Z scores of children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus are normal at diagnoses. Growth is afterwards