Background Childhood type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a relatively rare condition but is an important health concern as its prevalence continues to rise. Current management consists of lifestyle modification, metformin and insulin. Several new pharmacological classes are currently used in adult medicine but are not yet available in paediatric care.

In this review we will look at the current evidence for use of these newer medications in the paediatric population.

Methods A literature search (EMBASE, Medline, Pubmed, CINHAL) was performed for papers studying the use of non-insulin medications in children; including a separate search of ´clinicaltrials.gov´ to identify any ongoing trials in paediatric T2DM.

Results Newer classes of medications include incretin mimetics, dipeptidyl peptidase-4-inhibitors, sodium/glucose-cotransporter-2-inhibitors, and thiazolidinediones. There have been a small number of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies carried out in small cohorts of paediatric participants, but larger long-term efficacy and safety trials are lacking. These studies and individual case-reports have shown good tolerability but are unable to identify any long-term effects associated with these medications.

Randomised controlled trials studying rosiglitazone and glimepiride use in children have been performed. However, safety concerns in adults and notable side-effects including weight gain, mean their future use is uncertain.

Currently many relevant trials involving paediatric patients listed on ´clinicaltrials.gov´ are awaiting completion.

Conclusion Medical management for T2DM in children remains limited. Ongoing studies are aiming to equip practitioners with wider treatment options in the future. However, there are concerns regarding the long-term safety of these medications due to the increased risk of pancreatitis, gallbladder conditions and bladder malignancy in adult patients.

Paediatric T2DM patients suffer from complications earlier and more severely compared with adults, making this is a pressing issue. Long-term surveillance studies to identify adverse effects and a framework for highlighting research gaps are required to enable improvements in paediatric T2DM management.

Disclosure(s) Nothing to disclose