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DKA Uganda August 2023
DKA Uganda August 2023
Professor of Pediatrics
University of Minnesota
What Is Diabetes?
And / Or
or
≥ 11.0 mmol/L (200 mg/dl)
Casual glucose on ≥2 occasions or once with symptoms
or
HbA1c ≥ 6.5 % on ≥2 occasions
0-9 years, 0.79 per 1000 10-19 years, 2.80 per 1000
T1D: It Starts with Genetic Susceptibility
Polymorphisms of class II HLA genes encoding DQ and DR account for ~50% of the familial
aggregation of T1D (DR3 and DR4, DQ8).
Faulty recognition of “self”
People with T1D are at risk for other autoimmune diseases (thyroid, and celiac most common in
kids, also adrenal, vitiligo, alopecia, etc)
Definition of DKA
• Diabetic
• Hyperglycemia (BG > 11.1 mmol/L, may be less with
starvation or in very young children)
• Keto
• Positive ketones (beta-hydroxybutyrate)
• Acidosis
• Venous pH < 7.25 / Arterial pH < 7.3
• and/or bicarbonate < 15 mmol/L
Why does DKA occur ?
• Hyperglycemia
• Ketogenesis
• Dehydration
• Total body potassium depletion
• Total body sodium depletion
• Total body phosphorus depletion
• Alterations in mental status
Hyperglycemia in DKA
• Absence of insulin to promote use of glucose as energy source
leads to perceived fasting state (tissues are starving)
• Release of counterregulatory hormones
• Gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis→ ↑hepatic glucose production
• Muscle catabolism to fuel gluconeogenesis
• ↑free fatty acids →ketones →acidosis
Disturbances in Physiology
Insulin deficiency leads to:
• Hyperglycemia
• Ketogenesis
• Dehydration
• Total body potassium depletion
• Total body sodium depletion
• Total body phosphorus depletion
• Alterations in mental status
Consequences of Ketogenesis
Acidosis
• Kussmaul respirations
• Promotes shift of K+ from intracellular to extracellular space
• Ultimately organ failure, decreased respiratory drive and death
Dehydration
• Ketones cause nausea vomiting and
further dehydration (on top of
glycosuria)
• Worsening osmotic diuresis (ketone
excretion pulls Na+ and K+ out in urine)
• Shock, death
Disturbances in Physiology
Insulin deficiency leads to:
• Hyperglycemia
• Ketogenesis
• Dehydration
• Total body potassium depletion
• Total body sodium depletion
• Total body phosphorus depletion
• Alterations in mental status
Dehydration
• Most patients at least 10% dehydrated
₋ Dehydration usually appears less severe
because they are hyperosmolar
• As intravascular volume decreases, GFR
decreases, and hyperglycemia worsens
₋ Well-perfused kidneys can usually keep
glucose less than ~28 mmol/L
Disturbances in Physiology
Insulin deficiency leads to:
• Hyperglycemia
• Ketogenesis
• Dehydration
• Total body potassium depletion
• Total body sodium depletion
• Total body phosphorus depletion
• Alterations in mental status
Potassium Depletion in DKA
• Urinary loss of potassium → total body K depletion
• Acidosis shifts intracellular potassium to extracellular space---
boosts intravascular potassium concentration creating a false
sense of K normalcy
• Treatment of DKA with resolution of acidosis moves potassium
back into intracellular space
• Hyperglycemia
• Ketogenesis
• Dehydration
• Total body potassium depletion
• Total body sodium depletion
• Total body phosphorus depletion
• Alterations in mental status
Cerebral Edema
• It is a consequence of
treatment
• Because of the blood brain
barrier, shifts of brain glucose
and osmolality are much
slower than peripheral shifts.
• This can lead to increased
osmolality in the brain which
can produce cerebral edema
When does Cerebral Edema Occur?
7 Number of Children
Number with Neurologic Deterioration
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 25
• gasping/irregular respirations
• apnea
• hypothermia
Who Gets Cerebral Edema in DKA?
• Infants and children <5 years
₋ 95% of cases are under 2 years old
• Initial presentation of T1D (usually sicker because no one knows they
have diabetes)
• Higher sodium levels at presentation
• Severe acidosis
• Elevated BUN
• Patient got bicarbonate (sicker??)
• Excess or hypotonic fluids +/-
Why is Cerebral Edema More Common in the
Very Young?
• Delayed diagnosis
History and PE =
95% of diagnosis
• Hypoglycemia
• Persistent ketoacidosis
₋ inadequate fluids
₋ inadequate insulin
• Infection (mucormycosis)
• CEREBRAL EDEMA
• Other intracranial complications (thrombosis)
• Shock, DEATH
DKA Treatment Goals
1. Restore fluid volume
4. Correct acidosis
(self-corrects with treatment)
5. Correct hyperglycemia
Therapy Guidelines: Fluids
• The most important step!
• Replacement:
₋ maintenance + deficit over 36-48 hrs
₋ figure ≥10% dehydrated)
₋ usually ~1.5x maintenance
• Don’t stop giving regular (soluble) insulin until ketones have cleared and/or acidosis
is resolved (clinically well)
Therapy Guidelines: Mental Status Monitoring