title: Increase in type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents in Western Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document diagnosis rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents in Western Australia over the past 12 years, the clinical characteristics of these patients and any comorbidities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of a prospectively recorded diabetes database.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary paediatric referral centre (the only such centre in WA).
  
  
  METHODS
  All children and adolescents aged < 17 years diagnosed with type 2 diabetes between 1990 and 2002 and managed by Princess Margaret Hospital Diabetes Unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometric and demographic data; glycohaemoglobin (HbA(1c)) level; blood pressure; lipid levels; presence of acanthosis nigricans.
  
  
  RESULTS
  43 patients (15 males and 28 females) were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Age (SD) at diagnosis was 13.6 (1.8) years. The rate of diagnosis has been progressively increasing (average annual increase in the unadjusted overall rates of type 2 diabetes was 27%). Twenty-three patients (53%) were of Indigenous origin and 18 (42%) resided in rural areas. The mean (SD) HbA(1c) level at diagnosis was 10.0% (3.2%). Seventy-two per cent of patients had acanthosis nigricans, 59% had hypertension, and 24% had hyperlipidaemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There has been an increase in the diagnosis rate of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents in WA. Comorbidities are frequent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.forename: Aveni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haynes
authors.forename: Nirubasini
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ratnam
authors.forename: Maree T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Christine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Carne
authors.forename: Timothy W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000052:Acanthosis Nigricans / Q000150:complications; D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin