Risk Factors

The risk factors for DKA include [3,4]:

• New diagnosis in children of young age
• Delayed diagnosis
• Poor diabetic control/previous DKA
• Peri-pubertal or adolescent girls
• Patients with psychiatric morbidity (including eating disorders)
• Patients with unstable family circumstances
• Patients who omit insulin (deliberate or unintentional)
• Patients with limited access to medical services
• Patients who use an insulin pump[1,23]:
  • Such devices only utilise rapid acting insulin (i.e. Novorapid®)
  • Hence, any interruption in supply can lead to rapid ketosis