Time trends in incidence of diabetes mellitus in Austrian children and adolescents <15 years (1989-2017)

Pediatr Diabetes. 2020 Aug;21(5):720-726. doi: 10.1111/pedi.13038. Epub 2020 May 31.

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the time trends of nationwide diabetes incidence <15 years of age from 1989 until 2017 in Austria.

Methods: The Austrian Diabetes Incidence Study Group registers all newly diagnosed patients with diabetes mellitus <15 years of age in a prospective population-based study. The diabetes type was classified on the basis of clinical and laboratory findings according to American Diabetes Association criteria. Time trends were estimated by Joinpoint analysis.

Results: 1311 patients were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) between 1989 and 1999 and 4624 patients with any type of diabetes (1999-2017). T1D accounted for the majority of cases (94.2%), 1.8% were classified as type 2 (T2D) and 4.0% as other specific types of diabetes (1999-2017). In the total cohort (age 0 to <15 years), a constant increase until 2012 (annual percent change [APC] 4.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.94, 5.06) was observed, followed by a leveling off with a corresponding drop (APC 0.28, 95%CI: -3.94, 4.69). This observation was mainly driven by the dynamic in the youngest age group (0-4 years) with a steep increase until 2007 (APC 7.1, 95%CI: 5.05, 9.19) and a decrease from 2007 to 2017 (APC -0.86, 95%CI: 4.41, 2.82). No significant increase of T2D <15 years was detected. Over the observed time period (APC = 3.7, 95%CI: -0.30, 7.78).

Conclusions: The incidence of T1D is declining in young children aged 0 to 4 years, but is still rising in children 5 to 14 years in Austria. Incidence of T2D did not increase significantly and other specific types of diabetes occur twice as often compared to T2D.

Keywords: children; incidence rate; other specific types of diabetes; rotavirus vaccination; type 1 diabetes mellitus; type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Austria / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cohort Studies
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / epidemiology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / history
  • Female
  • History, 20th Century
  • History, 21st Century
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Registries / statistics & numerical data