Type 2 diabetes (T2D) appears to exhibit an aggressive character in early-onset diabetes. It is yet unknown how the age at which type 2 diabetes manifests itself affects albuminuria, particularly elevated excretion of albumin in the urine. Recent research published in ‘Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity’ attempted to determine whether adults diagnosed with T2D between the ages of 18 and 45 more aggressively develop albuminuria.

      The cross-sectional study enrolled T2D patients. Anthropometric measures, metabolic profiles, and urinary albumin creatinine ratio were examined. Patients were categorized into early-onset (≤ 45 years) and late-onset (> 45 years) groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify albuminuria risk factors. Subgroups were formed based on age at diabetes diagnosis and gender. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis was then conducted to identify distinct risk factors within each subgroup.

      The analysis of 1900 people with type 2 diabetes revealed significantly higher albuminuria prevalence in early-onset patients (35.08% vs 29.92%, P = 0.022). The risk of albuminuria in early-onset patients was 1.509 times higher than that in late-onset patients, especially among male patients, where the risk increased to 1.980. For late-onset patients, disease duration and glycated HbA1c were identified as risk factors, whereas for early-onset patients, body-mass index and systolic blood pressure were associated with increased risk. Among male patients, age at diagnosis of diabetes, blood pressure, and BMI were identified as risk factors, while for female patients, disease duration and HbA1c played a significant role. Additionally, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was found to be a protective factor against albuminuria.

      The study concluded that individuals diagnosed with T2D before 45 have heightened albuminuria risk, especially males. Risk factors vary by gender and onset age, highlighting the need for tailored management strategies.