2,000 Vietnamese children have type 1 diabetes

Dr. Nguyen Trong Khoa, Deputy Director in Charge, Management and Administration of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management (Ministry of Health), said the above information at the implementation training Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescentsafternoon June 24.

In Vietnam, there is currently no complete data on the epidemiology of type 1 diabetes in children. Data from tertiary hospitals for children shows that the disease has tended to increase throughout the country over the past 7 years and diagnosis and treatment are still difficult.

For example, at the National Children’s Hospital, in the past, about 10-15 children with type 1 diabetes were treated each year. However, in recent years the number has increased rapidly, each year hundreds of children are treated. Currently, the hospital is managing about 200-300 children with type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is due to the destruction of pancreatic beta cells (insulin-secreting cells), causing a deficiency of endogenous insulin, while type 2 diabetes is due to progressive reduction in pancreatic beta cell function on the basis of insulin resistance.

Diabetes affects the heart, eyes, and nerves, and is the main cause of kidney failure and many other complications, increasing medical costs and reducing quality of life. Medical costs for adults with diabetes account for 12% of global medical costs.

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates that about 537 million adults globally are living with diabetes, with a projection of 783 million by 2045. Half of people with diabetes are undiagnosed. guess. Many people live with the disease for a long time without realizing their condition, and by the time they are diagnosed, complications have already appeared. 70% of cases can be prevented or delayed by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Minh Dien, Director of the National Children’s Hospital, said type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes, occurs from newborns to any age. The cause is related to many factors such as genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, immune system…

The disease often starts with quite severe symptoms in a short period of time such as increased thirst, drinking a lot, urinating a lot, and rapid weight loss during the 2-6 weeks before admission to the hospital. In more severe cases, coma may occur due to ketoacidosis or increased blood osmotic pressure. During this period, the patient may have other symptoms such as epigastric pain, vomiting, and nausea, leading to misdiagnosis with other diseases.

“Patients with type 1 diabetes need to be treated with insulin initially in the hospital, then a stable dose will be treated at home,” Associate Professor Dien said, adding that the main focus is on monitoring the patient and treating edema. reducing complications.

Currently, there are only a few large hospitals such as the National Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital 1 and Hue Central Hospital that manage children with type 1 diabetes. This is a difficult problem in treating children because Currently, few pediatricians understand this disease.

Experts propose expanding the management system for this group of diseases in medical facilities, with just a small unit managing 15-20 patients to help reduce the load on higher-level hospitals. On this occasion, the Danish Embassy and the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment (Ministry of Health) signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in improving medical capacity for the period 2024-2026, including improving treatment of childhood diabetes.