Oligomenorrhoea in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus relationship to glycaemic control

Objective To investigate oligomenorrhoea in adolescents with type 1diabetes and the possible relationship with glycaemic control Study design The study group consisted of 81 female adolescents with type 1diabetes whose mean age was 15 0 years (range 12-18) The control group consisted of 205 healthy adolescents with a mean age of 155 years (range 12-18) Data on menstruation were collected by two parallel self-administered questionnaires Oligomenorrhoea was defined as having a menstrual cycle longer than 36 days throughout the past year (5-6/year) The metabolic control of diabetes was evaluated by calculating the mean value of HbA1c during the past year Results Age of menarche was greater for adolescents with type 1 diabetes (12 2 14 vs 11 7 1 2 p < 0 000) compared to healthy age-matched controls Logistic regression analysis with oligomenorrhoea as the dependent binary variable revealed an odds ratio equal to 7 8 (95% CI 3411-17 853) for adolescents with type 1 diabetes (p < 0 000) Finally a second logistic regression analysis concerning only adolescents with type 1 diabetes and with the same binary variable estimated an odds ratio of 4 8 (95% CI 1 784-13 057 p < 0 002) for HbA1c and an odds ratio of 53 (95% CI 1 821-15 130 p < 0 002) for the frequency of hypoglycaemia Conclusion In adolescents with type 1 diabetes menarche occurs later and oligomenorrhoea is more frequent The relative risk of having oligomenorrhoea is greater when there is an increased value of HbA1c or when hypoglycaemia is more frequent (C)2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd All rights reserved