MANAGEMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Although there are many reports in the medical literature describing the therapeutic management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), studies remain limited regarding the best approach of T2DM in children and adolescents. Even if in the last decade frequency of T2DM in children and adolescents has increased greatly in the world, this disease remains relatively uncommon in young people and the diagnosis is often hard to establish, sometimes even distinction from type 1 diabetes mellitus is difficult. On the other hand, adolescence is a time of important physiological and emotional changes that significantly complicate family interactions and adherence to treatment regimens. Long term safety and efficacy studies for pharmacologic agents are not available in children and adolescents with T2DM.