Summary
The occurrence and duration of clinical remission were analyzed in 173 diabetic children. One hundred and twelve (65%) children experienced a remission, which was complete in only five (3%) cases. Duration varied from one month to three years, the mean being 8.5 months. Boys showed a more frequent and longer remission phase (p<0.01) than girls. Children with a negative remission history were younger (p<0.05) at the onset of diabetes than children having remission periods. Duration of remission correlated positively with age at onset (rs=0.19; p<0.01) and with non-fasting serum C-peptide concentration (rs=0.31; p<0.001). There was a negative correlation between duration of remission and daily insulin dose (rs=−0.23; p<0.005). We found no correlation between duration of remission and duration of diabetes or hemoglobin A1 (HbA1) concentrations beyond the remission period. Serum C-peptide concentrations correlated negatively with HbA1 levels (rs=−0.23; p<0.001) indicating that residual B-cell function favors good metabolic control. There was a negative correlation between HbA1 concentration and duration of diabetes (r=−0.30; p<0.001). Clinical remission of long duration is associated with persisting endogenous insulin secretion, and reduced daily insulin requirement, but its favorable effect on metabolic control beyond the remission period is questionable.
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Knip, M., Puukka, R., Käär, ML. et al. Remission phase, endogenous insulin secretion and metabolic control in diabetic children. Acta diabet. lat 19, 243–251 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02624684
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02624684