Global Prevalence of Microvascular Complications in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors' conclusion
Microvascular complications affect at least one in 10 youths with diabetes before age 20, with similar prevalence in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Given the high rates and early onset, routine screening and early intervention are essential for all young people with diabetes to prevent or limit progression of vascular damage, regardless of diabetes type, glycemic stability, or disease duration.
Study context
- Population
- Children and adolescents with T1D or T2D; studies from PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science, 2000 to August 2025; mean age 14.5 (T1D) and 15.2 (T2D) years
- Participants
- 51,819 children57 studies
- Comparison
- T1D vs T2D
- Type 1n = 44,150
- Type 2n = 7,669
- Outcome
- Pooled prevalence of microvascular complications (peripheral neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy)
Methodological detailsrandom-effects model, Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation, meta-regression
- Random-effects model
- Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation
- Meta-regression
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Pooled prevalence of microvascular complications
| Group | Value | Autonomic neuropathy | Retinopathy | Nephropathy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 22.07% (CI 16.86–27.75) | 31.98% (95% CI: 11.13-57.44) | 13.76% (95% CI: 6.43-23.24) | 13.70% (95% CI: 10.25-17.54) |
| Type 2 | 11.04% (CI 2.73–23.45) | 15.37% (95% CI: 3.09-34.29) | 2.97% (95% CI: 0.00-10.33) | 12.63% (95% CI: 7.99-18.07) |
Value
Type 122.07% (CI 16.86–27.75)
Type 211.04% (CI 2.73–23.45)
Autonomic neuropathy
Type 131.98% (95% CI: 11.13-57.44)
Type 215.37% (95% CI: 3.09-34.29)
Retinopathy
Type 113.76% (95% CI: 6.43-23.24)
Type 22.97% (95% CI: 0.00-10.33)
Nephropathy
Type 113.70% (95% CI: 10.25-17.54)
Type 212.63% (95% CI: 7.99-18.07)
Further pooled results
Meta-regression
- No significant associations between complication prevalence and HbA1c, diabetes duration, lipid levels, cohort year, or age
Original publication
Global Prevalence of Microvascular Complications in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. Pediatr Diabetes. Published 26 November 2025. doi:10.
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