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.