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Metabolic, immunological and clinical characteristics in newly diagnosed Asian diabetes patients aged 12–40 years
Author(s) -
Pan C. Y.,
So W. Y.,
Khalid B. A. K.,
Mohan V.,
Thai A. C.,
Zimmet P.,
Cockram C. S.,
Jorgensen L. N.,
Yeo J. P.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
diabetic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.474
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1464-5491
pISSN - 0742-3071
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2004.01287.x
Subject(s) - medicine , diabetes mellitus , body mass index , obesity , insulin resistance , type 2 diabetes , family history , insulin , age of onset , pediatrics , endocrinology , disease
Abstract Aim To describe the clinical, biochemical and immunological characteristics of young‐onset diabetes in Asia. Methods Clinical, biochemical and immunological variables were assessed in 919 newly diagnosed (duration less than 12 months) young onset Asian diabetic patients aged between 12 and 40 years. The subjects constituted 57% Chinese, 29% Indians and 14% Malays, recruited from diabetes centres in China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia and Singapore. Results The mean age (± sd ) was 31.6 ± 7.2 years, with the majority (66%) in the 31–40 years age group. Mean body mass index (BMI) (± sd ) was 25.3 ± 5.0 kg/m 2 with 47% exceeding the suggested Asian cut‐off point for obesity (BMI ≥ 25). Ethnic difference in clinical characteristics included BMI, blood pressure, mode of treatment and degree of insulin resistance. Most patients had a clinical presentation of Type 2 diabetes. About 10% had a classical combination of ketotic presentation, presence of autoimmune‐markers and documented insulin deficiency indicative of Type 1 diabetes. Forty‐eight percent were receiving oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHAs) while 31% were on diet only, 18% were receiving insulin and 2% were on a combination of insulin and OHA. Conclusion Young onset diabetes patients in Asia represent a heterogenous group in terms of their clinical and biochemical characteristics and classical Type 1 diabetes is relatively uncommon. The 5‐year follow up study will determine the progress of these patients and help to clarify the natural history.