Volume 1 number 1 Summer 2003
Special issue for the abstracts of the 7th Pan Arab Conference on Diabetes
PACD7 , 25 – 28 March 2003 Cairo

 Abstract Number : 7

Month of birth in children and adolescents (0-18years)with type 1 diabetes mellitus

RAHIM VAKILI M.D., MEHRY TAFAZOLLI M.D.,

in Mashhad differes from that in the general population
Institution: Mashhad university of medical sciences IRAN

Introduction and Aims: Type 1diabetes is characterized by pancreatic islet cell destruction Mediated by immune mechanisms, and the rapidly progressive, increase in incidence observed in the last decades is viewed to be due to environmental factors, including viral infections. The accumulating evidence that one of the initiating factors may be viral infection transmitted perinatally to the fetus or newborn. The aim of this study of find out whether is seasonality of month of birth of children with IDDM in Mashhad and if so whether it differs from that of general population. Material and Methods: 161 children and adolescents (0-18 years) with IDDM born Between1983-2001 were included the study. The results were analyzed by Chi-square and a p value<0.05 considered significant.

Result:
The children and adolescents with diabetes had a statistically significant different seasonality of month of birth compared to that of the general population (p<0.01). More children with type 1 diabetes are born in spring (p<0.05).

Conclusion:
The observations made are in accordance with observation made recently in other countries and support the hypothesis that a virus infection transmitted by the mother to the fetus during the annual viral epidemic induces the autoimmune process and B-cell destruction. This data should stimulate research towards strategies of primary prevention.

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