Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Apr;181(4):1523-1529.
doi: 10.1007/s00431-021-04340-4. Epub 2022 Jan 14.

A comparative study on the incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus between children of North African migrants and Italian children in Emilia-Romagna region, Italy

Giulio Maltoni  1 , Maximiliano Zioutas  2 , Marta Mosticchio  2 , Lorenzo Iughetti  3 , Barbara Predieri  3 , Patrizia Bruzzi  3 , Brunella Iovane  4 , Pietro Lazzeroni  4 , Vanna Graziani  5 , Tosca Suprani  6 , Sara Monti  6 , Maria E Street  7 , Anna Lasagni  7 , Francesca De Luca  8 , Francesca Libertucci  9 , Benedetta Mainetti  10 , Sara Riboni  11 , Paola Sogno Valin  12 , Andrea Pession  2 , Stefano Zucchini  2
Affiliations

A comparative study on the incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus between children of North African migrants and Italian children in Emilia-Romagna region, Italy

Giulio Maltoni et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

In the last few decades, many studies have reported an increasing global incidence of type 1 diabetes. Studies on migrant populations have underlined the importance of both environmental and genetic factors.

Aims: Evaluate the incidence of type 1 diabetes in North African vs Italian children aged 0-14 years from 1 January 2015, to 31st December 2018, in Emilia-Romagna region, Italy.

Methods: Clinical and epidemiological data about childhood onset type 1 diabetes in Emilia Romagna region were retrospectively collected by the regional centers of pediatric diabetology and matched using 3 different data sources.

Results: 365 new cases were diagnosed. Total cumulative incidence was 15.4/100,000/year. North African cases showed a cumulative incidence of 53.8/100,000/year, statistically significant compared to cumulative incidence of the Italian cases alone 13.1/100,000/year (p value < 0.001). The annual incidence did not differ in the 4 years for both groups. Conclusion: The incidence of type 1 diabetes in the pediatric age (0 14 years) was significantly higher in the North African population than in the Italian one, suggesting that a mix of genetic and environmental factors may have caused the increase in newly diagnosed cases.

What is known: • The incidence of type 1 diabetes largely varies worldwide. • Study on immigrants helped to better understand the interplay role between genetics and environment.

What is new: • This is the first study focused on the incidence of children and adolescents of North African migrants in Italy. • The incidence of children and adolescents of North African migrants in Emilia Romagna region, Italy, seems to be higher than that reported in the host countries, and, above all, than that reported in highest-incidence countries in Europe and in the world.

Keywords: Autoimmune diseases; Childhood diabetes; Diabetic ketoacidosis; Type 1 diabetes epidemiology; Type 1 diabetes incidence.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Patterson CC, Karuranga S, Salpea P, Saeedi P, Dahlquist G, Soltesz G, Ogle GD (2019) Worldwide estimates of incidence, prevalence and mortality of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents: results from the International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas, 9th edition. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 157:107842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2019.107842 (Epub 2019 Sep 10. PMID: 31518658)
    1. Bruno G, Maule M, Merletti F, Novelli G, Falorni A, Iannilli A, Iughetti L, Altobelli E, d’Annunzio G, Piffer S, Pozzilli P, Iafusco D, Songini M, Roncarolo F, Toni S, Carle F, Cherubini V (2010) RIDI Study Group. Age-period-cohort analysis of 1990–2003 incidence time trends of childhood diabetes in Italy: the RIDI study. Diabetes 59(9):2281–7. https://doi.org/10.2337/db10-0151 (Epub 2010 Jun 21. PMID: 20566665; PMCID: PMC2927951)
    1. Marigliano M, Tadiotto E, Morandi A, Sabbion A, Contreas G, Avossa F, Fedeli U, Maffeis C (2015) Epidemiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus in the pediatric population in Veneto Region. Italy Diabetes Res Clin Pract 107(3):e19-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2014.12.009 (Epub 2015 Jan 20 PMID: 25641011) - DOI - PubMed
    1. Valent F, Candido R, Faleschini E, Tonutti L, Tortul C, Zanatta M, Zanette G, Zanier L (2016) The incidence rate and prevalence of pediatric type 1 diabetes mellitus (age 0–18) in the Italian region Friuli Venezia Giulia: population-based estimates through the analysis of health administrative databases. Acta Diabetol 53(4):629–635. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-016-0854-0 (Epub 2016 Mar 21 PMID: 26997510) - DOI - PubMed
    1. Wolfsdorf JI, Glaser N, Agus M, Fritsch M, Hanas R, Rewers A, Sperling MA, Codner E (2018) ISPAD Clinical Practice Consensus Guidelines 2018: diabetic ketoacidosis and the hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state. Pediatr Diabetes 19(Suppl 27):155–177. https://doi.org/10.1111/pedi.12701 (PMID: 29900641) - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources