Trends and Determinants of Oral Anti-Diabetic Initiation in Youth with Suspected Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate trends and identify predictors of treatment initiation of oral anti-diabetic drugs (OAD) in youth. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified a select population of children, ages 8–18 years, with at least 13 months of continuous health plan coverage within the years 2001–2012 in a large US commercial insurance claims database. New use of an OAD was defined as the first claim for an outpatient dispensing following a 12-month wash out period. Treatment incidence was estimated monthly over the study period, and stratified by age, gender, geographic region, and provider specialty. RESULTS: The median size of the source population during the study period was 2.2 million children. A total of 13,824 initiators (mean monthly incidence of 4.6 (95% CI = 3.6, 5.5) per 100,000 youths) were identified. Initiators were more likely to be females, age 15–18, from the southern region, and have visited a family practitioner (versus a general pediatrician) prior to initiation. Time trends demonstrate a 43% increase in initiation from 2002–2012, with a gradual decrease starting from early 2008. CONCLUSION: Incidence of filled OAD medications in youth increased over time, especially for patients treated by family practitioners. Additional research is needed into factors influencing prescribing by family practitioners and pediatricians.