Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a major burden on patients and healthcare economies. The early identification of patients at risk of developing chronic complications would allow timely intervention thus reducing complications, improving the quality of life, prolonging life expectancy, and lowering the cost of treatment. The main determinant of developing chronic complications is prolonged exposure to hyperglycaemia. 1 There is no doubt that intensive insulin regimens can reduce the onset and progression of complications from diabetes but they are nonphysiological and have an increased risk of causing