Type 1 diabetics have a greatly increased risk of epilepsy

Children with type 1 diabetes are at particular risk of developing epilepsy
Patients with diabetes are generally at an increased risk of developing serious health problems. According to current findings, people with type 1 diabetes also have a threefold increase in the likelihood of developing epilepsy later in life. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is one of the most common autoimmune disorders in children and, in recent years, the global incidence rate of type 1 diabetes has continued to increase.

Diabetes can have serious health effects. Researchers at the China Medical University Children's Hospital have now found in an investigation that people with type 1 diabetes have a threefold increased likelihood of developing epilepsy later in life. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Diabetologia".

People with type 1 diabetes have a very high risk of developing epilepsy in their lifetime. Children with the disease are particularly at risk. (Image: rkris / fotolia.com)

Incidence rate of children with type 1 diabetes increases by three percent annually
Type 1 diabetes mellitus is one of the most common autoimmune disorders in children, with an annual increase in global incidence rates of around three percent. In recent decades, the incidence of type 1 diabetes has increased significantly, especially in children and adolescents - especially in children under the age of five, say the physicians. Those affected are at an increased risk of developing serious health problems and show increased mortality, the experts explain. Type 1 diabetes may be a risk factor for the development of epilepsy in children, although the exact underlying mechanisms are not yet known. I-Ching Chou from the China Medical University Children's Hospital. The physician and his colleagues examined the relationship between type 1 diabetes and epilepsy in Taiwan.

Study examined nearly 2,600 patients with type 1 diabetes
The data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research database was used to conduct retrospective analysis, the researchers explain. The study examined 2,568 patients with type 1 diabetes. Computer modeling was used to estimate the effects of type 1 diabetes on the risk of epilepsy. In patients with type 1 diabetes, the risk of developing epilepsy disease was significantly higher than in patients without type 1 diabetes, say the experts. Adjusted for potential confounders, the type 1 diabetes cohort was found to be 2.84 times more likely to develop epilepsy, according to the researchers. This finding is consistent with previous studies that have seen epilepsy in many autoimmune or inflammatory diseases, explain the physicians. Epilepsy seems to be related to diseases or pro-inflammatory processes.

Severe hypoglycaemia at young age can trigger abnormalities in the brain
Immune disorders, genetic factors and metabolic disorders are all possible causes of the association between type 1 diabetes and epilepsy. In particular, both hyperglycemia and hypoglycaemia are common in older people with diabetes, the researchers say. These can alter the balance between the inhibition and excitement of neural networks and cause focal motor seizures, the researchers add. The researchers also found that younger age is associated with an increased risk of developing epilepsy. Previous studies have found that severe hypoglycaemia at a young age is a critical risk factor for brain abnormalities, the experts explain. Thus, patients with type 1 diabetes are at an increased risk of developing epilepsy because the consequences of metabolic disorders in type 1 diabetes such as hyperglycemia and hypoglycaemia have a deleterious effect on the central nervous system. In addition, they may still be associated with significant long-term neurological effects, the physicians add. However, we need further research to better understand the relationships and implications, say the authors. (As)