STUDY OBJECTIVE AND SETTING: The aim of this study is to determine the incidence rate of type 1 diabetes in the metropolitan region of Santiago, Chile from 1 January 1986 to 31 December 2003.
Design: Population-based incidence study.
Participants: A case must fulfill the following requirements to be included in this study: age at onset: 0 to 14 years, diagnosed with diabetes and placed on insulin, diagnosed within the defined time period, and to be a resident of the metropolitan region of Santiago at the time of the diagnosis. The population 'at risk' is the population less than 15 years of age.
Result: The overall rate of type 1 diabetes was estimated as 4.02 cases per 100 000 children per year (95% confidence interval: 2.98-4.83).
Conclusion: The incidence of type 1 diabetes in Santiago, Chile has increased during the last years. This data are concordant with the observation that the incidence of type 1 diabetes is increasing in Latin America and worldwide.
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