Increasing incidence of childhood-onset type I diabetes in 3 Baltic countries and Finland 1983-1998

• Published in: Diabetologia 2001-10, Vol.44 Suppl 3 (S3), p.B17-B20
• Main Authors: Podar, T, Solntsev, A, Karvonen, M, Padaiga, Z, Brigis, G, Urbonaite, B, Viik-Kajander, M, Reunanen, A, Tuomilehto, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Confidence Intervals; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - epidemiology; Estonia - epidemiology; Finland - epidemiology; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Lithuania - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0012-186X; 1432-0428
• DOI: 10.1007/PL00002947

We aimed to study the incidence of Type I diabetes in 4 countries, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, during 1983-1998, focusing on the two separate periods of 1983-1990 and 1991-1998. Population-based incidence data from nationwide diabetes registries were used. Crude and age-standardized incidence rates using the proportions of 39%, 32% and 29% for 5-year age groups (0-4, 5-9 and 10-14 years) were calculated. Yearly incidence was evaluated and the means between the two periods compared. Between 1983-1990 and 1991-1998 there was a statistically significant incidence increase in all 4 countries of Estonia, Lativia, Lithuania and Finland (relative risk 1.15, 95%-Confidence interval 1.10-1.19) and as well as in the 3 Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (relative risk 1.13, 95%. Confidence interval 1.04-1.22). The crude incidence increased in Estonia from 10.1 (95%-Confidence interval 8.9-11.4) to 12.3 (11.0-13.8), in Latvia from 6.6 (5.8-7.3) to 7.4 (6.6-8.2) and in Lithuania from 6.8 (6.2-7.5) to 7.8 (7.1-8.5). In Finland the incidence rose from 34.6 (33.3-36.0) in 1983-1990 to 40.8 (39.4-42.2) in 1991-1998. In children under 5 years of a age a statistically important increase was seen in Estonia and Finland. The highest incidence for a single year was recorded for all participating countries in the late 1990 s. The highest annual incidence rate of childhood onset Type I diabetes in the world ever known was recorded in Finland in 1998 with 48.5 cases per 100 000 person-years. The incidence of Type I diabetes has increased since 1983 in the three Baltic states as well as in Finland. Long-term monitoring is needed for a better detection in changes in incidence.