Text Box: APPLICATION OF SERUMβ-HYDROXYBUTYRIC ACID DETERMINATION IN CHILDREN WITH TYPE I DIABETES COMPLICATING DIABETES KETOSIS (DK) OR DIABETES KETO ACIDOSIS (DKA) SONG Wenqi, ZHANG Meihe Beijing Children’s Hospital, Beijing, China Objective: To study the value of serumβ-hydroxybutyric acid in children with type I diabetes complicating diabetes ketosis (DK) or diabetes keto acidosis (DKA). Methods: Serumβ-hydroxybutyric acid were determined with automatic enzymatic assay techniques in 44 children patients(age 8 months ~13 years) with type I diabetes complicating diabetes ketosis (DK) or diabetes keto acidosis (DKA). Results: All the children had elevated level of serum β-hydroxybutyric acid (normal range is 0.03 ~ 0.30 mmol/L). For DK group, the values were 0.41~5.69 mmol/L with median value of 1.92 mmol/L. For DKA group, serum β-hydroxybutyric acid were 0.52~6.5 mmol/L with median value equals to 4.12 mmol/L. There existed significant difference between the two groups. In the same patient, serumβ-hydroxybutyric acid would decreased to normal level after effective treatment within three to eight days. Conclusion: Serumβ-hydroxybutyric acid is a sensitive and specific index in the diagnosis and treatment evaluation of type I diabetes complicating with DK or DKA. 1865