Algiers province records 338 new type 1 diabetes cases in children in 2023

The Algiers province recorded 338 new cases of type 1 diabetes among children under 15 years old in 2023, according to the latest report from the National Institute of Public Health (INSP).

The CHU Nafissa Hamoud diagnosed the largest number of these cases, with 78 children, representing 23.1% of the total. The EPH of Belfort followed with 69 cases (20.4%), and the CHU of Douéra reported 36 cases (10.7%).

Data from the registry indicates that the average age of diagnosis was 7.5 years. Notably, a quarter of these children were diagnosed before the age of four, and half were under eight years old. The gender distribution showed 165 new cases in males and 173 in females.

Family history appears to be a significant factor, with 67.3% of new type 1 diabetes cases having at least one diabetic relative. Additionally, 19.5% of new cases showed a history of autoimmune pathology in their parents, primarily thyroiditis and celiac disease.

The circumstances of discovery most frequently involved initial ketosis (52.3% of cases), followed by ketoacidosis (28.6%). The polyuro-polydipsic syndrome was the third most common presentation (16.1%). In over half of the cases (56.3%), the diagnosis was made two weeks or more after the onset of initial symptoms, underscoring the importance of public health awareness regarding diabetes.