Objective: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is characterized by inability to produce insulin due to the autoimmune destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas. In this study we aimed to evaluate anthropometric and metabolic parameters of patients diagnosed with T1DM.

Material and Methods: Clinical and laboratory data of patients with T1DM were analyzed from medical records, retrospectively.

Results: A total of 89 patients (45 male, 44 female) were evaluated in this study. The mean age of the patients was 12 ± 3.7 decimal years (DY) and age at diagnosis was 7.5 ± 3.9 DY (0.3-16.2 DY). Gender ratio was equal in patients and the mean follow-up time was 4.5 ± 3.4 years (0.1 – 16.2 years). While the mean height in standard deviation score (HSDS) of the patients at diagnosis was -0.07 ± 1, mean final HSDS was found to be -0.37 ± 1 (p = 0.002). Remission was achieved in 46 (51.6%) patients. 12 patients (13.5%) were classified in ‘good’; 32 patients (35.9%) in ‘moderate’ and 45 (50.6%) patients in ‘bad’ metabolic control groups, but four patients could not be classified in a metabolic control group. There was a slight correlation between body mass indexes and the mean insulin doses of the patients (r=0.20, P<0.05) reflecting the effect of obesity on the insulin requirement. There was no significant correlation between follow-up duration (p>0.05) or daily insulin dose requirement (p>0.05) and delta-HSDS. While there was no significant difference in terms of age, age at diagnosis, pubertal stage and insulin requirement between the patients with goodmoderate metabolic control and bad metabolic control, final HSDS was significantly lower in patients with bad metabolic control (-0.2 ± 0.9 vs. -0.8 ± 1.1; p = 0.04).

Conclusion: Growth is affected in children with T1DM despite new treatment options and regimens. Thus, growth velocity, metabolic control parameters and body mass index of these patients should be monitored regularly

Keywords: Anthropometric, Metabolic control, Type 1 diabetes mellitus