Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the most common endocrinological chronic diseases in children that may affect the physical and mental health of children by causing a deep upheaval in their life. Children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) have to deal with a complex and demanding daily treatment regime which can have a negative impact on the quality of life (QoL) of these patients. The goal of our study was to evaluate the quality of life of school-age children with T1D.

Material and Methods: We conducted a multicentric prospective study collecting diabetic children aged 6 to 12 years. We used the PedsQL3.2DM scale translated into Tunisian dialect and which assesses the following items: symptoms of diabetes, barriers and adherence to treatment, anxiety and communication. The scores obtained were scored from 0 to 100 (100 corresponding to a better quality of life).

Results: Our study concerned children followed in 5 different centers. We interviewed 91 children aged 10.1 ± 2 years on average, whose diabetes started at an average age of 6.3 ± 3 years. A female predominance was noted. All the children were in school. Half were hospitalized at least once, and all children received daily insulin injections (1–5 injections/day). The mean score of the children according to the measurement scale used was 68.26 ± 14.31. Multivariate analysis revealed that the improvement in the score was linked to the decrease in HbA1C, the low number of injections and advanced parental age.,df;f

Conclusion: Quality of life assessment is an essential health outcome measure in pediatric medicine it should be an integral part of caring for children with diabetes. Psychological support is often necessary in order to optimize their daily life and their prognosis in the medium and long term.