<p>Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is the most serious complication in paediatric cases of type 1 diabetes and also the leading cause of death in these children. There is a wide geographic variation in the frequency of DKA at onset of diabetes. This study sought to determine the prevalence and pattern of DKA in Enugu and review the treatment and outcome over a 10 year period.</p>
<p>This retrospective study was conducted in the Children Emergency Rooms (CHER) of the two tertiary institutions in Enugu State, South East Nigeria: Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH) and the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH). The biochemical criteria for the diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) was based on the presence of hyperglycaemia (blood glucose?&gt;?11&nbsp;mmol/L), acidosis (serum bicarbonate?&lt;?15&nbsp;mmol/L) and ketonuria (urine ketone ?1+).</p>
<p>A total of 16,488 children were admitted during the 10 years period, of which 21 children presented with DKA, representing a prevalence of 0.13%. Six (28.6%) of the patients were newly diagnosed diabetics while fifteen (71.4%) were known diabetics, of which 9 (60%) were presenting with DKA for the first time. A total of two patients died giving a mortality rate of 9.5%. The rest were treated and discharged. The total duration of hospitalization ranged from 1 – 31 days, with a mean duration of 13.3 ± 7.5 days.</p>
<p>This study has revealed some of the challenges with management of children with DKA and the mortality rate which is unacceptably high</p>