Table 2. Clinical characteristics of patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Features
Type 1
Type 2
Age of onset
Usually less than 20 years
Usually greater than 30 years
Body mass
Low (wasted) to normal
Obese
Plasma insulin
Low or absent
Normal to high initially
Plasma glucagon
High, can be suppressed
High, resistant to suppression
Plasma glucose
increased
Increased
Insulin sensitivity
Normal
Reduced
Therapy
insulin
Weight loss, thiazolidinediones, metformin, sulfonylureas, insulin