Factors Affecting Glycemic Control among Saudi Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Aseer Region, Southwestern Saudi Arabia

Saleh M. Al-Qahtani (), Ayed A. Shati, Youssef A. Alqahtani, Ali A. AlAsmari, Mohammed A. Almahdi, Amjad A. Al Hassan, Ali M. Alhassany, Rana A. Shathan, Rawa M. Aldosari, Abdullah S. AlQahtani and Shamsun Nahar Khalil
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Saleh M. Al-Qahtani: Department of Child Health, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha 62223, Saudi Arabia
Ayed A. Shati: Department of Child Health, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha 62223, Saudi Arabia
Youssef A. Alqahtani: Department of Child Health, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha 62223, Saudi Arabia
Ali A. AlAsmari: Department of Pediatrics, Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Abha 62562, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed A. Almahdi: Department of Pediatrics, Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Abha 62562, Saudi Arabia
Amjad A. Al Hassan: Department of Pediatrics, Armed Forces Hospital-Southern Region, Khamis Mushyate 62413, Saudi Arabia
Ali M. Alhassany: Department Medicine, King Fahad Hospital, Al-Baha 65732, Saudi Arabia
Rana A. Shathan: Department of Pediatrics, Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Abha 62562, Saudi Arabia
Rawa M. Aldosari: Department of Pediatric Emergency, Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Abha 62562, Saudi Arabia
Abdullah S. AlQahtani: Department of Emergency Medicine, Khamis Mushyate General Hospital, Khamis Mushyate 62433, Saudi Arabia
Shamsun Nahar Khalil: Department of Family & Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha 62223, Saudi Arabia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-8

Abstract: Glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is affected by many factors that may be influenced by their lives and community. To identify the factors associated with glycemic control among children with T1DM in Aseer Region, southwestern Saudi Arabia, a cross-sectional interview study was conducted between 1 July and 30 September 2021, with a representative sample of Saudi children aged between 6 months and 15 years with T1DM or their caregivers visiting the diabetes center at Aseer Region. Newly diagnosed cases (<12 months) were excluded from the study. The study included 171 T1DM pediatric patients aged between 18 months and 15 years. The glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level ranged between 6.10% and 15.10% (mean HbA1c = 10.39% ± 1.86%). High HbA1c levels (≥7.5%) were observed in most patients (94.7%). Only two significant factors were found: (1) use of carbohydrate counting; 81.8% of children using carbohydrate counts had high HbA1c levels, compared to 96.6% of children not using carbohydrate counts ( p = 0.017), and (2) duration of the disease; 91.5% of children with disease duration of ≤3 years had high levels of HbA1c, compared to 98.7% of children with disease duration exceeding 3 years ( p = 0.035). Most children with T1DM in Aseer Region had poor glycemic control. Only two factors were associated with better glycemic control: shorter disease duration and use of carbohydrate counting. Therefore, advising diabetic patients to be on a carbohydrate counting program might improve DM control.

Keywords: type 1 diabetes mellitus; glycated hemoglobin; glycemic control; prevalence; associated factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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