Objective: To evaluate the clinical features and epidemiological trend of diabetes ketosis (DK) in patients admitted to West China Hospital.
Methods: We reviewed medical records of diabetic patients with DK who were admitted to West China Hospital from 1997 to 2005. Their clinical and laboratory data were analysed with SAS 9.0.
Results: From 1997 to 2005, the proportion of diabetic patients with DK increased by 0.12% annually. The proportion of provoked DK patients (who had a clinically evident precipitating factor) in those with DK remained stable; whereas the proportion of T1D patients in those with DK declined by 2.00% annually and the proportion of ketosis prone obesity diabetes (KPD) in those with DK increased by 2.27% annually. The KPD patients displayed a striking male predominance (2.31:1, male:female) and were diagnosed at an older age compared with those with T1D [(46.3 +/- 12.9) yr. vs. (28.9 +/- 14.7) yr.]. The KPD patients were more likely to have a strong family history of diabetes and a better beta-cell function reserve, and be accompanied with dyslipidemia (52.7%), hypertension (23.3%), fatty liver (10.1%) and hyperuricemia/gout (8. 5%) compared with those with T1D.
Conclusion: In recent years the proportion of KPD patients in the hospitalized DK patients is increasing. With different characteristics compared with typical T1D, KPD might belong to a subgroup of T2D.