Seasonal variation and severity of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in patients at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan

Objectives: To asses the seasonal variability in the hospital admissions of Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) patients.

Methods: This two year retrospective analysis was carried out from first November 2018 to 31st OCTOBER 2020, which involved medical chart reviewing of all those patients admitted to the Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic diseases, Hayatabad Medical complex, Peshawar, Pakistan with confirmed DKA. Data related to patient demography, past history, biochemical profile and treatment was collected and analysed using SPSS version 25.

Results: During the above mentioned 24 months, 104 diabetic patients with confirmed DKA were admitted. Fifty-nine (57%) patients were male. Most of the patients had moderate DKA that is 42(40%). Seasonality was observed with majority of the patient admitted in winter season overall 62(60%). In both the years encounter with DKA patient peaked in January. DKA was found to be more severe in female and in age group 10-15 years. DKA severity was found to be significantly associated with age, gender, previous episodes of DKA, length of hospital stay and non compliance plus infection (p<0.05).

Conclusion: We found seasonal variation and peaked cases of DKA in the winter season presenting at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Noncompliance was found to be major contributory factor.