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Immunosuppressive therapy for diabetes mellitus
Author(s) -
WERTHER GEORGE A.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1985.tb00156.x
Subject(s) - medicine , diabetes mellitus , diabetic retinopathy , type 1 diabetes , retinopathy , visual impairment , pediatrics , insulin , intensive care medicine , juvenile , endocrinology , psychiatry , biology , genetics
Type I (Juvenile) diabetes mellitus affects 1‐2 per thousand children, committing them to a lifetime of once or twice‐daily insulin injections, dietary restrictions, and self‐monitoring of blood glucose, as well as placing extra physical, emotional and social demands on the family. In spite of careful adherence to these guidelines and recent improvements in diabetic care, we are unable to anticipate a normal lifespan and freedom from diabetic renal, eye, and neural complications for these children. The most recent figures suggest that lifespan is reduced by as much as 25 years in 50% of patients, primarily due to renal failure. Mortality in diabetes is increased tenfold at any age. 1 Severe visual impairment secondary to diabetic retinopathy is likely within 25 years of diagnosis in 50% of patients. 2