Type 2 diabetes mellitus in children: pathophysiology and risk factors.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) has been considered rare in the pediatric population. However, over the last decade, there has been a disturbing upswing in the rate of diagnosis of type 2 DM in the pediatric age group, mirroring the increasing rates of obesity in childhood. The pathophysiology of type 2 DM discussed in this article focuses on the delicate balance between insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion. The risk factors for youth-onset type 2 DM are presented, with careful evaluation of their impact on insulin sensitivity versus insulin secretion.
Arslanian
S A
SA
Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes Mellitus Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. arslans@chplink.chp.edu
D000052:Acanthosis Nigricans / Q000150:complications; D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D017588:Hyperandrogenism / Q000150:complications; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000150:complications; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D011627:Puberty; D012307:Risk Factors