The insulin sensitivity, glucose sensitivity, and acute insulin response to glucose load in adolescent type 2 diabetes in Taiwanese

Background Insulin sensitivity (SI), glucose sensitivity (SG), acute insulin response to glucose load (AIR), and obesity in adolescent type 2 diabetes patients (young diabetes, YDM) in Taiwan were studied. Methods Forty patients diagnosed at 27 kg/m2). Adult‐onset type 2 diabetes patients (ADM) >40 years old (n = 41) and nondiabetic young adults (N) (n = 23) served as controls. Fasting plasma lipids, insulin, and glucose were measured. Homeostasis model assessment was calculated to estimate insulin sensitivity and β‐cell function. A frequent‐sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test was performed to evaluate SI, SG, and AIR. Results SI and AIR were significantly lower in YDM and ADM than in N (0.92 ± 0.13, 0.8 ± 0.15 and 3.24 ± 0.47 × 10−4/U/mL for SI; 40.3 ± 20.3, 107.3 ± 50.2, 1208 ± 306.3 uU/min for AIR). SG of YDM and ADM were lower compared with N (0.014 ± 0.00138, 0.0292 ± 0.0058 vs 0.034 ± 0.0086 min−1 respectively). No difference was noted between YDM and ADM. SI and SG were not different in NOYDM and OBYDM. AIR was higher in OBYDM (83.6 ± 34.3 vs −7.6 ± 13.66 uU/min). Conclusions YDM had defects in SI, SG, and AIR compared to N, which was similar to the pathophysiology of ADM. The results imply that YDM may be either a different subtype of diabetes or the same type of diabetes as ADM, with severe defects associated with earlier age of onset. OBYDM had higher AIR than NOYDM. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.