ABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus with onset in childhood represents one of the most frequent chronic diseases in children and young adults. The disease is associated with a significant burden to society and patients because most cases require lifelong treatment with insulin as well as access to day-to-day monitoring and treatment of complications and because the disease confers increased risk of severe late complications such as renal failure, blindness, amputations, heart disease, and stroke. Even in societies with unrestricted access to the treatment of diabetes and its complications, the disease is associated with the risk of premature death.
