title: Clinical Characteristics of Young Type 2 Diabetes Patients with Atherosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly in the young population. The clinical characteristics and risk factors for young type 2 diabetes patients with atherosclerosis are not fully explicated. The aim of the present study was to investigate various clinical and biochemical characteristics of young type 2 diabetic patients with atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study. The study involved 2199 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes. The young patients were classified into the atherosclerotic group or the non-atherosclerotic group, and we also enrolled an older group with peripheral atherosclerosis disease and an age of at least 45 years. Comparisons were made between the different groups to investigate the cardiovascular and metabolic risk profiles of young type 2 diabetes patients with atherosclerosis. We also used logistic regression models to assess the atherosclerosis risk factors for young patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to older type 2 diabetes patients with atherosclerosis, young patients with atherosclerosis had more deleterious profiles of weight and hyperlipidemia. Only age and diabetes duration were found to be significant independent risk factors for atherosclerosis in young patients. The ratio of the presence of atherosclerosis in the lower extremity arteries alone was significantly higher in young patients than older patients (26.4% vs. 14.0%, P = 0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young type 2 diabetes patients with atherosclerosis have more adverse cardiovascular risk profiles and inadequate control of these risk factors. Lower extremity examination is of high importance in young patients.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism Department, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wenjia
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism Department, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism Department, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xueyao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism Department, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Linong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ji
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult