National Diabetes Audit, 2017-21: Adolescent and Young Adult Type 1 Diabetes

The National Diabetes Audit (NDA) has published its latest Adolescent and Young People Type 1 Diabetes Audit (AYA) report, which covers the period 1 January 2017 to 31 March 2021. Based on data from people with type 1 diabetes aged between 15 and 25 years old in England (with limited data from Wales), the report aims to audit the care provision during the period when young people with diabetes move from paediatric to adult based clinical care. The report found that there were more males than females (55.2% vs 44.8%) with type 1 diabetes, and more than expected lived in areas of social deprivation. Other key findings include:

• The proportion of people who were living with overweight and obesity increased progressively from the age of 18 years old.
• For 15 to 20 year-olds, the mean/median HbA1c was similar at all ages of leaving paediatric services.
• Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) frequency (single and multiple inpatient admissions with episode of DKA) started to rise at 16 years old, peaked at 18 years old and then fell slowly but progressively.

The report also found that 81.9% of adolescents using insulin pumps continue to do so in young adulthood. However, insulin pump usage rates dropped by almost two thirds (33.3% to 12.1%) between the ages of 15 and 25 years. As such, it goes on to recommend that young adults with type 1 diabetes transferring from paediatric services and using insulin pump therapy should be supported by adult specialist services to continue, and those who are eligible by NICE criteria should be offered insulin pump treatment. Read the full report: You can read the report by clicking on the link below. Stay-up-to-date: For notifications of future reports from HQIP, sign up to our mailing list.