Aims/hypothesisThe aim of this study was to study dynamic changes in the prevalence of different types of diabetes in paediatric populations in Poland, with a specific focus on monogenic diabetes (MD).MethodsUsing epidemiologic data (PolPeDiab Collaboration) and nationwide genetic test results (TEAM Programme), we compared the prevalence of type 1, type 2 and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) and MD. Genetically confirmed MD included MODY, neonatal diabetes and Wolfram and Alström syndromes. The study covered all children aged 0–18 years treated for diabetes between 2005 and 2011 in three regions, inhabited by 23.7% (1,989,988) of Polish children, with a low prevalence of childhood obesity (<5%).ResultsThe prevalence of type 1 diabetes showed a continuous increase, from 96 to 138/100,000 children. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes and CFRD also increased, from 0.3 to 1.01/100,000 children and from 0.1 to 0.95/100,000 children, respectively. The prevalence of MD was stable at between 4.2 and 4.6/100,000 children, accounting for 3.1–4.2% of children with diabetes, with glucokinase (GCK)-MODY being the most frequent type, amounting to 83% of patients with MD. The percentage of positive test results decreased with the number of referrals, suggesting that children with the highest probability of MD were referred initially, followed by those with a less clear-cut phenotype. The prevalence of neonatal diabetes equalled 1 in 300,000 children.Conclusions/interpretationThe prevalence of MD in a paediatric population with a low prevalence of obesity remains stable and is nearly fivefold higher than that of type 2 diabetes and CFRD, justifying a need for increased access to genetic diagnostic procedures in diabetic children.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00125-012-2621-2) contains peer-reviewed but unedited supplementary material, which is available to authorised users.

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Recently, progress has been observed in the knowledge about Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), which is a severe and commonly diagnosed genetic myopathy in childhood, historically resulting in early death. Currently, there are a lot of methods available to improve the clinical course of DMD and extend patients’ life expectancy to more than 30 years of age. The key issue for DMD patients is the period between 16–18 years of age, which is described as a transition from pediatric- to adult-oriented healthcare. Adolescents and adults with DMD have highly complex healthcare needs associated with long-term steroid usage, orthopedic, ventilation, cardiac, and gastrointestinal problems. The current paper provides a comprehensive overview of special healthcare needs related to the transfer of a patient with DMD from child-oriented to adult-oriented care. Additionally, the need to organize effective care for adults with DMD is presented.

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