This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Epidemiology

Authoring team

The true incidence of DKA is unknown.

  • according to population-based studies from the USA, incidence of DKA is thought to be ranging from 4.6 to 8 episodes per 1,000 patients with diabetes
  • in England, more than 11% of people with Type 1 diabetes had an episode of diabetic ketoacidosis in the years between 2004 and 2009 (1)

DKA can occur in persons of all ages:

  • a study of 4,807 episodes of DKA has revealed that
    • 14 % occurred in persons older than 70 years
    • 23 % in persons 51 to 70 years of age
    • 27 % in persons 30 to 50 years of age
    • 36 % in persons younger than 30 years

Additionally, DKA was more commonly seen in females, in persons with a migration background, and in persons 11 to 15 years of age (2)

In children

  • frequency of DKA at onset of type 1 diabetes inversely correlates with the regional incidence of type 1 diabetes. Frequencies range from approximately 15–70% in Europe and North America
  • the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study in the USA found that nearly 10% of youth with type 2 diabetes presented with DKA; however, overall, 5–25% of patients with type 2 diabetes have DKA at the time of diagnosis (2)
  • the risk of DKA in established type 1 diabetes is 1–10% per patient per year (3)

Mortality rates are lower in developed countries (2-5%) than developing countries (6-24%)

  • in UK, mortality is approximately 2%
  • highest rate of mortality is in older adults and persons with comorbid conditions (2)

Reference:


Create an account to add page annotations

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.