Clinical presentation of new onset of Diabetes Mellitus in children and adolescents during the period of Covid-19 pandemic

Diabetes Mellitus type 1 is one of the most common endocrinological disease in children. As in many countries of the world, also in Kosovo, the number of children and teenagers affected by diabetes is increasing. The aim of the presentation was to evaluate the number of new cases of diabetes in children and adolescents and the rate of Diabetic Ketoacidosis at the time of diagnosis at the Referral Center for Diabetes, Pediatric Clinic in Prishtina during the period of Covid 19 pandemic compared to previous years. Methodology: The research was retrospective in nature, the data from the hospital records of 220 patients were evaluated. The data of the first group of patients were collected from the period before Covid pandemic (from January 2015 to February 2020) and the second group were the patients presented during the period of Covid pandemic ( from March 2020 until April 2021). Results: The frequency of new cases of diabetes during the period of Covid 19 has not shown a significant increase, but their clinical presentation in a state of severe diabetic ketoacidosis has been 30% higher compared with the period before Covid pandemic and with a fatal outcome in two teenage children. Conclusions: The risk of severe diabetic ketoacidosis in new cases of diabetes has been more pronounced during the period of Covid 19 pandemic. It must be necessary to reorganize the health system in particular during such situations to prevent the deterioration of the condition of children and adolescents with diabetes