Analysis of the differences in the metabolic characteristics of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the newly diagnosed patients of different age groups

Objective To investigate the clinical metabolic characteristics of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) in newly diagnosed patients of different age groups.Methods 202 patients newly diagnosed as T2DM were divided into three groups according to age: youth(≤39),middle-aged(40 to 59) and elderly(≥60) groups.Clinical characteristics including body mass index(BMI),blood pressure,fasting and postprandial plasma glucose,HbA1c,lipid profiles,urinary albumin(UAlb),insulin,insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR) and β-cell function(HOMA-β) were determined and compared.The history of smoking and high blood pressure were also recorded.Insulin sensitivity was determined by HOMA-IR,and β cell function determined by HOMA-β.Results The youth group had the highest levels of BMI,uric acid,smoking rate and HOMA-IR;the elderly group had highest levels of fasting plasma glucose(FPG),HbA1c,UAlb and percentage of hypertension,and the middle aged group had higher blood pressure,uric acid,UAlb,triglyceride and smoking rate,but lower HOMA-IR compared with the other two groups,while the differences in HOMA-β were not statistically significant.In the youth group,the HOMA-IR was correlated with HbA1c and HDL-C(r=0.499,r=-0.643),and the HOMA-β correlated with total cholesterol(r=-0.519).In the middle-aged group,HOMA-β was correlated with BMI and HbA1c(r=0.555,r=-0.481).In the elderly group,neither HOMA-IR nor HOMA-β was correlated with metabolic parameters.Conclusion The abnormal metabolism in newly diagnosed patients with T2DM vary with age,and is characterized by obesity and insulin resistance,while in middle-aged and elderly patients characterized by hypertension and hyperalbuminuria.