Being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at a younger age is associated with increased risk of albuminuria, suggests a study from China.

The muticenter study, which examined the association between the age at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and albuminuria, involved 207,961 participants; age, sex, and study site were matched for 31,366 normal controls and 31,366 screen-detected type 2 diabetes patients. Age, sex, study site, and diabetes duration were matched for 7490 normal controls and 7490 self-reported type 2 diabetes. The risk of albuminuria was assessed in both type 2 diabetes groups and compared with controls.

The risk of albuminuria in participants diagnosed at an age of <50, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, or ≥70 years was 81%, 60%, 45% and 33% for screen-detected diabetes, and 135%, 121%, 90%, and 58% for self-reported diabetes compared with their normal controls, respectively.

The belief that type 2 diabetes is a disease of older age no longer holds true as there is a reduction in age at diagnosis and diabetes is now occurring with greater frequency among young adults.

In this study, the risk of albuminuria in type 2 diabetes was highest in patients with age at diagnosis younger than 50 years and least among those diagnosed when they were 70 years or older. This also significantly increased their risk of developing microvascular complications such as albuminuria. Hence, diabetic patients who were diagnosed at a younger age were more likely to progress to diabetic kidney disease earlier than those who were diagnosed at an older age.

This study suggests that age at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes should be considered as a risk factor and must be taken into account for screening and management of albuminuria. It calls for regular and intensive monitoring of glycemic control and other risk factors in in younger people with type 2 diabetes. Optimal glycemic control may reduce or delay progression of diabetic kidney disease.

The ADA standards of medical care for diabetes 2021 recommend screening all patients with type 2 diabetes for urinary albumin at least annually regardless of treatment.

Reference

1. Wu S, et al. The association between age at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and albuminuria in Chinese adults: A nationwide population study. J Diabetes. 2021 Dec;13(12):987-997. doi: 10.1111/1753-0407.13213.