Diabetes tipo 2 en niños y adolescentes. experiencia de la unidad de diabetes del Hospital de Niños J. M. de los Ríos

Objective: The goal of this study, was to assess the frequency, characteristics and evolution of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents of the Endocrinology Department of “J. M. de Los Rios” Children’s Hospital, Diabetes Unit. Methods: From 411 patients that were attended since January 1987 to April 2003, 16 accomplished the inclusion criteria. Results: During the study, we found an increased frequency of type 2 diabetes from 1-2% to 7.3% in the last four-year period. Female sex was predominant (62.5%); a high percentage (37.5%) of the patients were less than ten years old; 37.5% had a pubertal development in Tanner II-IV, and the same number was prepubertal. Most of them, had normal weight at birth. All patients had a family history of type 2 diabetes in first- or second-degree relatives. Fifty percent consulted due to an incidental finding of fasting hyperglycemia; Thirty seven percent (37.5%) were asymptomatic at the diagnosis; Thirty one percent (31.3%) had acanthosis and 50% were overweight or obese. The majority of patients did not need pharmacologic treatment. Conclusion: Type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents is increasing in our Diabetes Unit. We have to be alert to do prevention in high-risk groups, encouraging them to make lifestyle changes and an early diagnosis.