ABSTRACT
Racial differences at onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in youth during the COVID-pandemic have been documented in the US. Limited data are available in type 2 diabetes (T2D) . No data are available to our knowledge at follow up (FU) . We compared characteristics at onset and 1 year FU in white vs. black children diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) in 2020 at a large pediatric academic center. A total of 276 youth (53% male, 81% white, mean age at onset 10.8±4.5 years, mean HbA1c 12.1±2.7%, 45% with BMI ≥ 85th percentile, 43% presenting in DKA) , were identified via retrospective chart review. 78% were diagnosed with T1D, 21% with T2D and 1% with MODY. Age (10.8±3.9 vs. 10±4.5 years, p=0.5) , prevalence of BMI ≥ 85thile (47 vs. 28%, p=0.12) and mean HbA1c (12.3±2.5 vs. 12.1±2.7, p=0.84) were similar in blacks vs. whites at onset of T1D. In those diagnosed with T2D, blacks compared to whites had a higher mean HbA1c (11.9±2.9 vs. 9.7±2.3%, p=0.04) as well as prevalence of DKA (26 vs. 0% respectively, p=0.02) . Characteristics at 1 year FU by race and type of DM are presented below.