Study On The Microvascular Complications Of Early-onset Type 2 Diabetes

Objective:Recently, in countries like china where diabetes is common, the prevalence of the disease is increasing in young adults. Objective of this investigation is to compare the clinical characteristics and the prevalence of the microvascular complications of the patients with early-onset type 2 diabetes(T2DM), and analyze the risk factors associated with its microvascular complications.Methods:According to a hospital-based diabtese research of Society of Diabetes,Chinese Medical Association(CDS) in 1991-2000, a total of 2713 T2DM patients were recruited and divided into two groups:early-and late-onset groups which were defined as diagnosis at <40 and >40 years of age, respectively. Clinical characteristics and the prevalence of the microvascular complications were compared betweentwo groups, and the risk factors of the microvascular complications were analysed within the early-onset group.Results:(1) The early-onset patients were characterized by significantly higher levels of HbA_1c, two hour plasma glucose(2hPG), triglycerides(TG), and higher rates of Smoking, family history of diabetes, overweight and metabolic syndrome (MS) while compared with the late-onset patients.(2)In early-onset group, patients with early-period nephropathy were more than them in late-onset group. The prevelence of neuropathy, such as pain, anesthesia, diarrhea and impotence, was higher in early-onset group.(3) Patients with microvascular complications of the early-onset group were characterized with longer diabetes duration and more serious metabolic disorder. Linear regression analysis showed that microvascular complications were associated with diabetes duration, smoking , family history, hypertension, high level of TG and low-dencity lipoprotein(LDL-C).Conclusion:Early-onset patients present the clinical features of poorer metabolic profiles, which may contribute to the development of microvascular complications.