THU141 Clinical Characteristics Of Korean Youth-onset Type 2 Diabetes Patients With Remission

Disclosure: S. Shin: None. H. Kim: None. S. Kim: None. J. Kim: None. Backgrounds: Improvement of beta cell function can occur in some patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, studies on remission of youth-onset T2DM with pharmacotherapy are sparse. We aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of pediatric patients experiencing remission. Methods: Medical records of pediatric patients with T2DM who were followed up for at least 1 year at Seoul National Bundang Hospital (2015-2022) were retrospectively reviewed. Remission of T2DM was defined as a return of HbA1c to <6.5% that persists for at least 3 months after discontinuation of glucose-lowering pharmacotherapy. Clinical characteristics between the remission and non-remission groups were compared at three time points (at diagnosis, 3 months after diagnosis, and remission). Results: Among 66 patients with T2DM (46 males, 69.7%), the mean age at diagnosis was 14.6±0.5 years, and the mean follow-up duration was 3.0±0.5 years. One (1.5%) patient underwent lifestyle modification only, 13 (19.7%) were treated with oral hypoglycemic agents only, and 52 (78.8%) were combined with insulin therapy at diagnosis. Twelve patients (18.2%) attained remission after a mean of 1.4±0.4 years from the time of diagnosis (at a mean age of 16.1±1.1 years). The remission group showed a higher proportion of males (100.0% vs. 63.0%, P = 0.012). At diagnosis of T2DM, urinary microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) was lower in the remission group than in the non-remission group (2.0±1.6 mg/g vs. 11.2±2.9 mg/g, P = 0.010). There were no significant differences between the groups in the presence of initial diabetic ketoacidosis, HbA1c levels at diagnosis, and type of initial treatment. At the time of remission, HbA1c levels were significantly decreased (from 11.8% to 5.4%), while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were increased (from 40.1 mg/dL to 45.7 mg/dL) than those at the time of diagnosis (both P <0.05). Recurrence occurred in three of 12 (25.0%) patients after a mean of 1.9±1.7 years from the time of remission. Conclusion: In Korean youth with T2DM, remission was observed in 18.2% after a mean of 1.4 years of intervention with lifestyle and pharmacotherapy. Youth with T2DM remission showed male predominance, and lower ACR at the time of diagnosis. Further studies about underlying pathophysiology and long-term outcomes after remission are warranted. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023