• Chun-Wei Lee, Shu-Hao Wu, Wen-Chi Chiu, Shih-Tzer Tsai, and Tzuo-Yun Lan.
• Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, MacKay Memorial Hospital, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan; MacKay Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Taipei, Taiwan.
• J Formos Med Assoc. 2021 Jan 1; 120 (1 Pt 1): 130-136.

Background/PurposeThe prevalence of young-onset diabetes (YOD) is increasing in Asia, but little is known about the metabolic control, associated complications, or medical behavior in this population. Our aim was to assess the prevalence of young-onset and late-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and their associated risk factors and medical behaviors in Taiwan.MethodsData were collected from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan on 11,244 patients from 2008 to 2013. We classified patients with young-onset diabetes if they were diagnosed before 40 years of age and late-onset diabetes (LOD) if diagnosed at 40 years of age or older. We analyzed the prevalence, medication, and medical behaviors between these groups.ResultsWe enrolled 2556 newly diagnosed T2DM patients in 2012. Demographics and comorbidities were recorded from YOD (n = 311) and LOD (n = 2245) patients. Most newly diagnosed patients started with monotherapy and almost half of them with sulfonylurea. The prevalence of YOD in Taiwan is up to 12%. In terms of treatment, 42% of T2DM patients are treated in clinics, 58% in hospital, and 25.2% by an endocrinologist.ConclusionOur study highlights the rising trend of YOD in Taiwan. National endeavors are urgently needed for early diagnosis, effective management, and primary prevention of diabetes.Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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