Presentation of Severe Diabetic Ketoacidosis in New-Onset Type One Diabetes Mellitus: The Importance of a Broad Differential in an Otherwise Healthy Population in the Operational Environment.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious disease entity that must be diagnosed quickly for urgent management in the intensive care unit. Keeping DKA in the differential diagnosis is important, especially in a forward deployed, resource-poor setting. The symptoms and signs of DKA are nonspecific, including fatigue, polydipsia, polyuria, weakness, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain with tachycardia and tachypnea on exam.