Undertreatment of hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: long-term follow-up on time trends in the occurrence of cardiovascular disease, risk factors and medications use

AimsThe aims of the present study were, firstly, to evaluate long-term trends in the occurrence and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and the occurrence of CVD events in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and, secondly, to assess the determinants of undertreatment of CVD risk factors. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted in 3728 children (<19years of age) with T1DM and up to 5 age- and gender-matched diabetes-free children (reference cohort) (n=18513) using data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). ResultsCompared with diabetes-free subjects, children with T1DM had significantly higher annual prevalence rates of CVD risk factors and cardiovascular (CV) medication use 20years after the onset of diabetes (index date): hypertension: 35.2% vs. 11.4%, P < 0.001; hypercholesterolaemia: 66.7% vs. 7.14%, P<0.001; and CV medication use: 37.0% vs. 3.6%, P < 0.001. The significant differences between prevalence rates in the two cohorts started from 1year before the index date. Furthermore, 50% of the children in the T1DM cohort with hypertension and 53% with hypercholesterolaemia remained untreated with CV drugs for a period of 2-5years during the 20-year follow-up. Age was the only determinant associated with undertreated hypertension in the T1DM cohort. ConclusionsChildren with T1DM had substantially higher prevalence rates of hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia from 1year before up to 20years after the onset of diabetes compared with nondiabetics. There is a substantial undertreatment of CVD risk factors with CV drugs. In children with T1DM, screening for CVD risk factors and adequate treatment are of the utmost importance to prevent CVD later in life.