Characteristics of patients with new-onset diabetes in the Diabetes Mellitus in Children and Young People in the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic cohort
| Characteristic | Overall, N = 2198* | Year 1 (2019–20), N = 1015* | Year 2 (2020–21), N = 1183* | P value† |
| Presenting symptoms | ||||
| Polyuria | 0.2 | |||
| Yes | 1,974 (90%) | 898 (88%) | 1,076 (91%) | |
| No | 159 (7.2%) | 82 (8.1%) | 77 (6.5%) | |
| Unknown | 65 (3.0%) | 35 (3.4%) | 30 (2.5%) | |
| Polydipsia | 0.6 | |||
| Yes | 1,994 (91%) | 914 (90%) | 1,080 (91%) | |
| No | 140 (6.4%) | 69 (6.8%) | 71 (6.0%) | |
| Unknown | 64 (2.9%) | 32 (3.2%) | 32 (2.7%) | |
| Weight loss | 0.8 | |||
| Yes | 1,263 (57%) | 576 (57%) | 687 (58%) | |
| No | 548 (25%) | 259 (26%) | 289 (24%) | |
| Unknown | 387 (18%) | 180 (18%) | 207 (17%) | |
| Lethargy | <0.001 | |||
| Yes | 1,219 (55%) | 505 (50%) | 714 (60%) | |
| No | 578 (26%) | 312 (31%) | 266 (22%) | |
| Unknown | 401 (18%) | 198 (20%) | 203 (17%) | |
| Confusion | 0.018 | |||
| Yes | 110 (5.0%) | 38 (3.7%) | 72 (6.1%) | |
| No | 1,365 (62%) | 653 (64%) | 712 (60%) | |
| Unknown | 723 (33%) | 324 (32%) | 399 (34%) | |
| Vomiting | 0.043 | |||
| Yes | 517 (24%) | 214 (21%) | 303 (26%) | |
| No | 1,331 (61%) | 636 (63%) | 695 (59%) | |
| Unknown | 350 (16%) | 165 (16%) | 185 (16%) | |
| Fever | 0.3 | |||
| Yes | 68 (3.1%) | 29 (2.9%) | 39 (3.3%) | |
| No | 1,753 (80%) | 799 (79%) | 954 (81%) | |
| Unknown | 377 (17%) | 187 (18%) | 190 (16%) | |
| Tachycardia | 706 (33%) | 260 (26%) | 446 (38%) | <0.001 |
| missing | 55 | 33 | 22 | |
| Tachypnea | 783 (37%) | 312 (32%) | 471 (41%) | <0.001 |
| Missing | 86 | 48 | 38 | |
| Level of consciousness | 0.6 | |||
| Alert | 2,026 (92%) | 938 (92%) | 1,088 (92%) | |
| Verbal | 67 (3.0%) | 30 (3.0%) | 37 (3.1%) | |
| Pain | 16 (0.7%) | 7 (0.7%) | 9 (0.8%) | |
| Unresponsive | 10 (0.5%) | 2 (0.2%) | 8 (0.7%) | |
| Not documented | 79 (3.6%) | 38 (3.7%) | 41 (3.5%) | |
| Oxygen saturations | 0.6 | |||
| Normal %O2 saturations | 2,183 (99%) | 1,009 (99%) | 1,174 (99%) | |
| %O2 saturations <94% | 15 (0.7%) | 6 (0.6%) | 9 (0.8%) | |
| Duration of symptoms (days) | 14 (7,28) | 14 (7,30) | 14 (7,28) | 0.13 |
| Missing | 55 | 26 | 29 | |
| Laboratory values | ||||
| HbA1c | 106 (89,125) | 105 (88,125) | 107 (91,125) | 0.092 |
| missing | 232 | 122 | 110 | |
| HbA1c percentage | 12 (11,14) | 12 (10,14) | 12 (11,14) | 0.003 |
| Missing | 1,208 | 585 | 623 | |
| Measures of severity | ||||
| Triage urgency classification | ||||
| Immediate | 212 (9.6%) | 89 (8.8%) | 123 (10%) | |
| Very urgent | 897 (41%) | 421 (41%) | 476 (40%) | |
| Urgent | 532 (24%) | 247 (24%) | 285 (24%) | |
| Non-urgent | 142 (6.5%) | 68 (6.7%) | 74 (6.3%) | |
| Standard | 5 (0.2%) | 2 (0.2%) | 3 (0.3%) | |
| Not documented | 391 (18%) | 184 (18%) | 207 (17%) | |
| Unknown | 19 (0.9%) | 4 (0.4%) | 15 (1.3%) | |
| pH | 7.32 (7.15,7.39) | 7.34 (7.19,7.39) | 7.30 (7.11,7.39) | <0.001 |
| Missing | 111 | 53 | 58 | |
| Fluid bolus >=20 mls/kg | 225 (10%) | 64 (6.3%) | 161 (14%) | <0.001 |
| Inotropes / vasopressors | 11 (0.5%) | 4 (0.4%) | 7 (0.6%) | 0.5 |
| Mechanical ventilation | 20 (0.9%) | 5 (0.5%) | 15 (1.3%) | 0.056 |
| Route of initial insulin administration | <0.001 | |||
| Subcutaneous | 1,247 (57%) | 621 (61%) | 626 (53%) | |
| Intravenous | 936 (43%) | 390 (39%) | 546 (47%) | |
| Missing | 15 | 4 | 11 | |
| Presentation in diabetic keto-acidosis | <0.001 | |||
| Not in DKA | 1,235 (56%) | 620 (61%) | 615 (52%) | |
| Mild | 301 (14%) | 140 (14%) | 161 (14%) | |
| Moderate | 268 (12%) | 114 (11%) | 154 (13%) | |
| Severe | 394 (18%) | 141 (14%) | 253 (21%) | |
| Disposition‡ | ||||
| Admission to inpatient ward | 1,766 (80%) | 828 (82%) | 938 (79%) | 0.2 |
| High dependency unit | 345 (16%) | 138 (14%) | 207 (17%) | 0.012 |
| Paediatric intensive care unit | 110 (5.0%) | 38 (3.7%) | 72 (6.1%) | 0.012 |
| Critical care retrieval | 21 (1.0%) | 10 (1.0%) | 11 (0.9%) | 0.9 |
| Transfer to other hospital | 68 (3.1%) | 26 (2.6%) | 42 (3.6%) | 0.2 |
| Discharged home from ED | 25 (1.1%) | 12 (1.2%) | 13 (1.1%) | 0.9 |
| Admitted to short stay unit | 40 (1.8%) | 28 (2.8%) | 12 (1.0%) | 0.002 |
| Patient died | 1 (<0.1%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (<0.1%) | >0.9 |
| Length of stay in hospital (days) | 4 (2,5) | 4 (2,5) | 4 (2,5) | 0.2 |
| Missing | 12 | 3 | 9 | |
| Length of stay in hospital >72 hrs | 1,587 (73%) | 709 (70%) | 878 (75%) | 0.013 |
| Missing | 12 | 3 | 9 |
*Median (25%–75%); n (%).
†Wilcoxon rank-sum test; Pearson’s χ2 test; Fisher’s exact test.
‡Tick all that apply.