Abstract
INTRODUCTION: In Congo, data on diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in children are old and rare. This study aims to describe the sociodemographic features of DKA and to identify risk factors for mortality. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted an analytical study on DKA in childred at the University Hospital in Brazzaville over the period from January 2013 to June 2016. We examined the socio-demographic, clinical, paraclinical and evolutionary variables. Chi-Square Test, Fisher's exact test and odds ratio were used in the univariate analysis process and logistic regression model in the multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Out of 172 children hospitalized with diabetes 55 (31%) were hospitalized with ketoacidosis. They were girls (33; 60%) with an average age of 11.1± 4.9 years (ranging from 1 months to 17 years), 61.8% of parents came from low socioeconomic status. Ketoacidosis was the revealing symptom in 67.2 % of cases. The diagnosis made before hospitalization was wrong (50%). The triggering factor was often an infection (52.7%). Mortality rate was 12.7%. The risk factors for mortality in the univariate analysis were: age < 5 years (p=0,000006), average consultation time higher than 7 days (p= 0.001), severe dehydration (p = 0.0006), hemodynamic disorders (p= 0.0006), severe undernutrition (p= 0.02), Glasgow Coma Scale < 9 (p= 0.007) and diarrhea (p= 0.001). CONCLUSION: The importance and the seriousness of ketoacidosis impose preventive measures based on awareness, information and education campaigns as well as on the management of risk factors for mortality.