Risk Factors
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| Fig 4: Young people who use insulin pumps to control their diabetes are at greater risk of DKA |
The risk factos for DKA include [4,5]:
- New diagnosis in children of young age
- Delayed diagnosis
- Poor diabetic control/previous DKA
- Peri-pubertal or adolescent girls
- Patients with psychiatric morbidity (including eating disorders)
- Patients with unstable family circumstances
- Patients who omit insulin (deliberate or unintentional)
- Patients with limited access to medical services
- Patients who use an insulin pump[1,27]:
- Such devices only utilise rapid acting insulin (i.e. Novorapid )
- Hence, any interruption in supply can lead to rapid ketosis