Abstract

BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to classify newly diagnosed diabetic patients who initially presented with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) into specific types of diabetes and to describe the clinical and biochemical characteristics of patients with fulminant type 1 DM in Korea. METHODS: Using data from 4 hospitals of CMC from 1 January 1999 to 1 March 2008, we identified all patients who manifested DKA when they were first diagnosed as diabetes. Clinical and laboratory data were reviewed from medical records. RESULTS: We identified 51 newly diagnosed diabetic patients manifested DKA. Among them, 14 (27.4%) patients were classified as autoimmune type 1 DM, 8 (15.7%) as antibody negative type 1 DM, 5 (9.8%) as fulminant type 1, 16 (31.4%) as type 2 DM and 8 (15.7%) as secondary DM. Five patients who fulfilled the criteria of fulminant type 1 DM were older (32.2 +/- 10.7 vs. 15.7 +/- 4.4 years, P = 0.010), had shorter duration of symptoms (4.2 +/- 2.7 vs.16.7 +/- 15.2 days, P = 0.014) and lower stimulated C-peptide levels (0.1 +/- 0.0 vs. 0.7 +/- 0.6 ng/mL, P = 0.050) compared with patients with autoimmune type 1 DM. CONCLUSION Newly diagnosed diabetic patients presenting with DKA composed of heterogenous types of diabetes. The prevalence of fulminant type 1 diabetes among them was 9.8% and the clinical and biochemical characteristics of these patients were different from those of autoimmune type 1 DM.

• Keywords: Diabetic ketoacidosis;Fulminant type 1 DM;Korea;