This study concerns spinal cord injuries (SCI) in a region of Portugal with a population of 1 721 650 inhabitants. Legislation has made it possible to identify deaths occurring during collection and transport. Between 1989 and 1992, 398 new cases of spinal cord injuries were identi®ed, of which 77% were male and 23% female. The average age was 50, with a range of between 1 and 92. As far as the type of injury is concerned, there were 154 isolated SCI (38.7%); in 120 cases (30.1%) there were multiple associated injuries; in 66 cases (16.6%) there was an associated traumatic brain injury; in 34 cases (8.5%) there was an associated trauma of the thorax. In the hospitals concerned no Injury Severity Score (ISS) was carried out during hospitalization. Sixty-four (16%) were dead upon arrival at hospital, and 159 (40%) died before release. The average length of hospitalization was 26.6 days, with the maximum being 539 days. The annual incidence rate is 57.8 new cases per million inhabitants, including those who died before being admitted to hospital. The annual survival rate is 25.4 new cases per million inhabitants. The death rate is very high during the ®rst week, peaking during the ®rst 24 h.

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood and adolescence. The prevalence in younger than 15 years is predicted to rise by 70% from 2005 to 2020. Treatment of T1DM targets euglycemia and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) under 7.5%, if achieved without severe episodes of hypoglycemia (International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes-ISPAD). It depends on insulin replacement and educational factors. The best metabolic control in both children and adolescents with T1DM is crucial to prevent long-term complications.

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