Trends in the incidence of type 1 diabetes among Jews and Arabs in Israel

Abstract

Objective: To assess the trends in the incidence of type 1 diabetes between 1997 and 2010 among 0-17-yr-old Israeli Jews and Arabs compared with global trends.

Methods: Data on children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes reported by pediatric endocrinologists from 19 medical centers to the Israel Center for Disease Control, as part of the National Diabetes Register.

Results: During 1997-2010, 2857 Jews and 757 Arabs were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The average age-adjusted incidence among Jews was higher than Arabs [12.2 per 100 000, 95% confidence interval (CI) 10.5-14.2 and 8.9 per 100 000, 95% CI 7.5-10.7, p = 0.0001, respectively], however, the annual percent change was higher for Arabs compared with Jews (4.0 vs. 3.6%, p = 0.005, respectively). The mean age at diagnosis was similar for Jews and Arabs (9.6 ± 4.4 vs. 9.9 ± 4.4 yr, p = 0.08), and it remained stable during 1997-2010 in both ethnic groups (p = 0.6). In both Jews and Arabs the highest annual percent change was observed in younger children. It was 4.9% for children aged 5-9 yr and 10.7% for children aged 0-4 yr, respectively. There were no differences in the frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) between Jews (39.9%) and Arabs (41.3%), (p = 0.5).

Conclusion: Type 1 diabetes incidence of Jews and Arabs in Israel is increasing. The incidence is higher in Jews than in Arabs; however, the annual percent change is higher in Arabs than in Jews. In both Ethnic groups the incidence of type 1 diabetes is increasing especially among young children.

Keywords: Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs; incidence trend; type 1 diabetes.