Endocrine Abstracts

Background: The incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus is increasing worldwide with recent European data suggesting annual increases ranging from 0.6 to 9.3%, the overall rate being 3.9%. It was thought that the Republic of Ireland (ROI) had one of the lowest disease incidences in Europe. The first Irish study of T1DM incidence which provided a measure of case ascertainment, confirmed a high incidence rate (IR) at 16.6 per 100 000 placing this population, in the upper quartile of disease incidence.

Objectives: To determine the incidence of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents <15 years in ROI in 2008 and to establish a National Diabetes Register. To confirm the status of ROI as an area of high disease incidence, and ascertain if the incidence has increased. To act as the base year for the National Register.

Methods: Prospective national reporting of incident cases of type 1 diabetes <15 years as a primary diagnosis by Paediatricians and Paediatric Endocrinologists nationally was undertaken from January 2008. Following informed consent of children and parents further information was obtained using a standardised dataset. Completeness of ascertainment was assessed using the capture-recapture methodology. Intercensal estimates were used for calculation of (IR).

Results: Preliminary figures for 2008 indicate that the (IR) of T1DM within this population has increased an average of 6% per annum since 1997. This increase is across all age groups but most marked in boys aged 10–15 years and boys under 5 years.

Conclusions: Initial data verifies a high and rising incidence of T1DM in Irish Children supporting the need for epidemiological monitoring in this population. A national diabetes register is vital to monitor changes in disease incidence, and provide important epidemiological and robust denominator data for clinical audit. It is essential to inform resource allocation decisions in this important disease.