DKA may trigger lingering inflammatory surge in children with type 1 diabetes

Many children who develop type 1 diabetes, the inability to produce insulin and process blood sugar, do not know they have the condition until symptoms arise. These symptoms are often driven by a severe and sometimes fatal condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA. As insulin levels drop and blood sugar rises, the body generates molecules called ketones, which are toxic in high concentrations. Children with DKA can experience organ failure and other serious issues, but why these complications occur is not well understood.