Relation between the degree of initial metabolic decompensation and the duration of the remission phase in type I diabetes mellitus.

In 21 newly diagnosed children with type 1 diabetes mellitus initial hemoglobin A1c-concentrations, mean insulin requirements during the first 10 days of treatment to recompensate carbohydrate metabolism, duration of glucosuria after diagnosis and duration of remission were determined. Initial hemoglobin A1c-concentration and both mean insulin requirement during the first 10 days of treatment and duration of initial glucosuria showed a highly significant positive correlation. A highly significant, negative correlation was found between the duration of remission and both the mean insulin requirement during the first 10 days of treatment and the duration of initial glucosuria. Thus the present results together with previous findings suggest that the severity of initial metabolic decompensation in diabetes mellitus type I seems to determine at least in part the duration of remission.