Fauzia Mohsin

Fasting guidelines for diabetic children and adolescents

Fasting during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of Islamic lunar calendar, is obligatory for all healthy adult and adolescent Muslims from the age of 12 years. Fasting starts from early dawn (Sohur/Sehri) till sunset (Iftar). During this period one has to abstain from eating and drinking. Islam has allowed many categories of people to be exempted from fasting, for example, young children, travelers, the sick, the elderly, pregnant, and lactating women. According to expert opinion, patients with type 1 diabetes (type 1 DM) who fast during Ramadan are at a very high risk to develop adverse events. However, some experienced physicians are of the opinion that fasting during Ramadan is safe for type 1 DM patients, including adolescents and older children, with good glycemic control who do regular self-monitoring and are under close professional supervision. The strategies to ensure safety of type 1 diabetic adolescents who are planning to fast include the following: Ramadan-focused medical education, pre-Ramadan medical assessment, following a healthy diet and physical activity pattern, modification in insulin regimen, and blood glucose monitoring as advised by the physician.

Fasting during Ramadan in adolescents with diabetes

Background: Fasting (Sawm) during Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam is obligatory for all healthy adult and adolescent Muslims from the age of 12 years. Some children with diabetes, despite their exemption insist on fasting in Ramadan. We evaluated the safety of fasting among children with type 1 diabetes. Materials and Mathods: A prospective observational study was designed for diabetic children and adolescents who wish to fast during Ramadan 2012. Patients with their caregivers were given intensive education and instructions were provided by diabetic educators, dieticians and physicians on insulin adjustment, home blood glucose monitoring and dietary adjustments prior to Ramadan. Results: A total of 33 children and adolescents were included in this study. Of these, 16 were male and 17 were female. Majority (60.6%) of the patients could complete their fasting during the Ramadan. Patients were divided into two groups, those who completed fasting were considered as Group-I, whereas patients who broke the fast were in Group-ll. Blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c weight, and insulin dose before and after Ramadan in two groups showed no significant difference. Conclusion: Children older than 11 years of age with type 1 diabetes mellitus with conventional twice-a-day regimen can fast safely during Ramadan provided they have proper education and intensive follow-up during Ramadan.

Descriptive epidemiology of metabolic syndrome among obese adolescent population

AIMS The study was done to assess the magnitude of problems of metabolic syndrome among obese adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHOD It was a cross-sectional study done from January 2013 to June 2014 in paediatric endocrine outpatient department in BIRDEM General Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Total 172 adolescents having exogenous obesity aged 10-18 years were included. Impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) were defined as per WHO criteria.The adolescents having Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥95th centile were classified as obese.Waist circumference was measured at the level midway between the lower rib margin & the iliac crest, at the level of umbilicus with the person breathing out gently in centimeter. Hip circumference was measured at the maximum width over the buttocks at the level of the greater trochanters in centimeter. RESULT Among 172 obese adolescents, metabolic syndrome was found in 66 patients (38.4%). The commonest metabolic abnormality among those having metabolic syndrome was low HDL level (77.3%) followed by high triglyceride level(71.2%). Glucose intolerance (IFG and/or IGT) was found in 16.7%, Type 2 DM in 10.6%, systolic hypertension in 10.7% and diastolic hypertension in 12.1%. Triglyceride (p = 0.042) and Cholesterol level (p = 0.016) were significantly higher and HDL-cholesterol level (p = 0.000) was significantly lower among obese adolescents having metabolic syndrome. Less physical activity (p = 0.04) was significantly related to the development of metabolic syndrome. On logistic regression analysis male sex, family history of obesity and low HDL-cholesterol correlated to metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION The High rate of metabolic syndrome among obese adolescents is alarming.

Aetiology of Percociuos Puberty in Patients Presenting to A Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Precocious puberty is a common paediatric endocrine disorder seen in clinical practice. This study was carried out to find out the aetiology of precocious puberty in children presenting in a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: This cross sectional study was done at paediatric endocrine outpatient department at BIRDEM General Hospital from July 2005 to June 2015. The clinical data as well as laboratory findings were collected from consecutive patients who presented for evaluation of precocious puberty. Result: Seventy one patients presented with precocious puberty during this study period. There was female preponderance (71.8%). The mean age at presentation of girls and boys were 4.8±2.1 years and 6.63±1.4 years respectively. Among the 51 girls who presented with precocious puberty 22(43.1%) had central precocious puberty (CPP), 5(9.8%) had peripheral precocious puberty (PPP) and 24(47%) had incomplete precocious puberty (IPP). Among the 22 girls with CPP 19(86.3%) were idiopathic & 3(13.6%) girls were hypothyroid. Among the 5 girls with PPP, 3(60%) had congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) & 2(40%) had adrenal adenoma. In case of incomplete precious puberty among 24 girls, 20 (83.3%) had premature thelarche, 1(4.1%) had premature menarche & 3 (12.5%) had premature adrenarche. In 20 boys with precocious puberty, 7(35%) had CPP. Among them 3(42.8%) boys had hypothalamic hamartoma, 1(14.2%) boy had craniopharyngioma and other 3(42.8%) boys had idiopathic CPP. PPP was present in 11(55%) boys. Among them 8(72.7%) patient had CAH, 2(18.1%) had adrenal adenoma and 1(9.0%) had hepatoblastoma. Premature adrenarche was present in 2(10%) boys. Conclusions: Precocious puberty was more commonly found among girls as compared to boys. Central precocious puberty was more common among girls and majority were idiopathic. Among boy precocious pseudopuberty was more common and CAH was the commonest cause. Majority of boy with central precocious puberty had organic brain lesion.

Characteristics of children and adolescents at onset of type 2 diabetes in a Tertiary Hospital in Bangladesh

Introduction: Recent data show that the prevalence of diabetes among children and adolescents is increasing in some ethnic groups. The worldwide epidemic of childhood obesity has been accompanied by an increase in the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in youth. Methods: The aim of this study was to describe the baseline characteristics of children and adolescents diagnosed ≤18 years who had features of T2D and presented at Changing Diabetes in Children, Paediatric Diabetes Clinic at Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation of Diabetes, Endocrine, and Metabolic Disorders. All patients who were newly diagnosed and came to the clinic from March 2011 to March 2015 were included. Results: Among 939 newly registered patients, 77 (8%) had a diagnosis of T2D. The age at diagnosis was 9–10 years in 11 patients (14%), 11–14 years in 46 (60%) and 15–17 years in other 20 patients (26%). Majority of the children had a positive family history of T2D (94%) and 58% were obese. Median fasting insulin (27.9 [17.3–99.3]) was high in 76% patients. Insulin was started initially along with metformin in 40 patients and could be stopped in six patients in 3 months. Conclusion: Our study reflects that T2D is emerging as a problem in children and adolescents in Bangladesh.