Comparison of β-Cell Function Between Overweight/Obese Adults and Adolescents Across the Spectrum of Glycemia.

OBJECTIVE: Type 2 diabetes is a growing health problem among both adults and adolescents. To better understand the differences in the pathogenesis of diabetes between these groups, we examined differences in β-cell function along the spectrum of glucose tolerance.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We evaluated 89 adults and 50 adolescents with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), dysglycemia, or type 2 diabetes. Oral glucose tolerance test results were used for C-peptide and insulin/glucose minimal modeling. Model-derived and direct measures of insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity were compared across glycemic stages and between age-groups at each stage.

RESULTS: In adolescents with dysglycemia, there was marked insulin resistance (insulin sensitivity index: adolescents, median [interquartile range] 1.8 [1.1-2.4] × 10; adults, 5.0 [2.3-9.9]; = 0.01). The nature of β-cell dysfunction across stages of dysglycemia differed between the groups. We observed higher levels of secretion among adolescents than adults (total insulin secretion: NGT, 143 [103-284] × 10/min adolescent vs. 106 [71-127], = 0.001); adults showed stepwise impairments in static insulin secretion (NGT, 7.5 [4.0-10.3] × 10/min; dysglycemia, 5.0 [2.3-9.9]; type 2 diabetes, 0.7 [0.1-2.45]; = 0.003), whereas adolescents showed diabetes-related impairment in dynamic secretion (NGT, 1,905 [1,630-3,913] × 10; dysglycemia, 2,703 [1,323-3,637]; type 2 diabetes, 1,189 [269-1,410]; = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Adults and adolescents differ in the underlying defects leading to dysglycemia, and in the nature of β-cell dysfunction across stages of dysglycemia. These results may suggest different approaches to diabetes prevention in youths versus adults.