In China, the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) onset age and vascular complications was assessed, and it was found that the earlier onset of T2DM, the higher risk of microvascular but not necessarily macrovascular complications. It is not too late to avert diabetes at any age. It may be beneficial to ensure preemptive microvascular treatment or preventative measures in EOD (early-onset disease) patients who do not yet exhibit symptoms.

• A retrospective review of 3,568 T2DM cases employing a propensity score-matched (PSM) cohort analysis, was conducted in two different age of onset groups (40 and 60 years old); these were subdivided as early onset diabetes (EOD40 and EOD60; the onset age before 40 and 60 years old respectively) and late onset diabetes (LOD40 and LOD60: the onset age after 40 and 60 years old, respectively).

• Prior to PSM, a higher risk of developing macro- and microvascular complications was present in patients categorized in the both age EOD groups.

• Post-PSM, there were no differences in risk of macrovascular complications between the EOD and late-onset disease (LOD) groups.

• In the EOD group, the odds ratio of developing a microvascular complication of diabetic retinopathy, chronic kidney disease, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy in the 40-year-old group rose to 2.906, 1.967, and 1.672, respectively, in comparison to the LOD group.

• In the 60-year-old EOD group, odds ratio of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic peripheral neuropathy were reported to be 1.763 and 1.675, respectively.