High Frequency of Nephropathy Among the Iranian Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes

Background: Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune condition, in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Nephropathy is a serious T1D microvascular complication that is associated with high mortality and morbidity.  Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy and comorbidities in children with T1D. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 208 children (aged 1–18 years old) with T1D who were referred to the Qazvin endocrinology clinic from 2017 to 2019. Anthropometric, demographic, laboratory, and comorbidities data were collected. Results:  The Mean±SD age at diagnosis of diabetes was 7.59 years, and the Mean±SD HbA1c level of the study subjects was 8.68±1.42 mmol/mol. Out of 208 diabetic patients, 64 cases (30.7%) had diabetic nephropathy, of whom 53 cases (25.5%) had microalbuminuria and 11 cases (5.3%) had macroalbuminuria. Among the studied diabetic patients, 30 cases (14.45%) had hypothyroidism, 12 patients (5.8%) had celiac disease, and 14 patients (6.7%) had anemia. Retinopathy was not found in any of the patients. Moreover, variables, such as the duration of diabetes, puberty status, mean HbA1c levels, and age were significantly associated with diabetic nephropathy (P<0.05).  Conclusion: Mean HbA1c levels were significantly higher in patients with macroalbuminuria, which may corroborate the role of metabolic control of diabetes in the development of albuminuria.