CHRISMED Journal of Health and Research | 2019
Childhood diabetes mellitus in a rural tertiary hospital in North-West Nigeria
Abstract
I read with interest the study by Idris published in April 2018 issue of CHRISMED J Health Res.[1] In a 10‐year retrospective study of Nigerian children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (TIDM), the author reported that all the studied children presented with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at the initial diagnosis of T1DM.[1] The author attributed that the variation in the frequency of the reported DKA with that in the developed countries to racial, ethical, genetic, and environmental factors.[1] The author also postulated that socioeconomic status, access to healthcare services, and level of awareness of the population to T1DM might also be contributory.[1] Moreover, the author proposed that DKA at the onset of T1DM might be due to delayed diagnosis or an indication of an aggressive form of the disease.[1] I presume that the following four points might be additionally relevant.