Exploring ketoacidosis frequency and risk factors in childhood-onset type 1 diabetes: an 8-year retrospective study (2011–2018) at a tertiary paediatric hospital in Tripoli, Libya

Objectives Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) stands as a critical, acute complication of type 1 diabetes. Despite its severity, there exists a dearth of data concerning the frequency and prevalence of DKA at the onset of type 1 diabetes in Libyan children. This study aimed to ascertain the frequency of DKA during the initial presentation of type 1 diabetes among children aged 0.5–14 years admitted to Tripoli Children’s Hospital between 2011 and 2018. Methods Employing a retrospective approach, the study examined the proportion of children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes who presented with DKA. Data analysis included estimating DKA frequency concerning age at presentation, sex, and age groups. The comparative analysis involved assessing DKA frequency between 0.5 and <2 and 2–14 years age groups. Logistic regression analysis evaluated the impact of age group, sex, and family history of type 1 diabetes on DKA and severe DKA occurrence. Results Among 497 children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes, 39.2 % presented with DKA, of these 44.5 % had severe DKA. Females exhibited a higher DKA rate than males (OR 1.63, 95 % CI 1.13–2.34, p=0.009). Very young children (0.5 to <2 years) presented with DKA more frequently than those aged 2–14 years (OR 4.73, 95 % CI 2.65–8.47, p<0.001), and they were more likely to present in severe DKA (63.9 vs. 39.1 %, [OR 7.26, 95 % CI 3.65–14.41, p<0.001]). Conclusions The frequency of DKA at type 1 diabetes onset among children admitted to Tripoli Children’s Hospital is notably high, with nearly half of the DKA episodes categorized as severe. Very young children notably demonstrated a fivefold increase in the likelihood of presenting with DKA.