Different characteristics of diabetic ketoacidosis between type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients in Malaysia

Background: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is increasing in patients with type 2 diabetes in Asian countries. However, there is little information regarding the frequency and characteristics of DKA for Malaysian population. Objective: To identify the different clinical and biochemical features of DKA between adult patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional, retrospective study was performed at University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) between January 2000 and December 2005. All patients (aged>18 years) with type1 or type 2 diabetes were included in this study. Clinical and biochemical characteristics of DKA were studied. Precipitating factors for the development of DKA were also identified. Results: One hundred and twenty patients (61.9%) presented with DKA had type 2 diabetes. Both type 1 and type 2 patients had similar symptoms. Nausea (44.0%) and vomiting (66.4%) were most common symptoms of DKA. Infection (40.5%) was main precipitating factors of DKA. Blood pH level in previously-diagnosed type 1 diabetes patients was lower than that in previously-diagnosed type 2 diabetes (7.18±0.18 vs. 7.26±0.16, p<0.0001). Conclusion: A high proportion of DKA occurs in patients with type 2 diabetes. DKA developed severely in newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients more than in previously-diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients