ABSTRACT: Background: Diabetes mellitus ,a chronic metabolic disorder, is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Measurement of C-peptide, which is co-secreted with insulin from beta cells of pancreas (proinsulin, insulin C-peptide) provides an index of endogenous insulin Production and pancreatic beta cell function. This study is to demonstrate or test the ability of serum C-peptide levels as a marker in initiating appropriate drug therapy and classifying newly detected diabetes in subjects between the age group 30 and 40 years. Aim: To investigate the ability of classifying diabetes mellitus with serum C-peptide levels in 50 young (30-40 years) newly detected diabetic subjects. To distinguish those who require insulin treatment from others who can be managed by diet, exercise and oral anti diabetic drugs as initial therapy. Method: This is a hospital based cross-sectional study has been carried for more than one and half year in the Department of General Medicine, Narayana Medical College & Hospital, Nellore involving 50 patients. Data collection was done by clinical history, examination and investigations. These details were recorded. The data collected was subjected to statistical analysis for determining the significance of the results. Informed consent and their willingness obtained from these subjects have been documented. Results: Measurement of C-peptide levels in a young newly detected diabetic adult helps us a) to distinguish between type 1 behaviour and type 2 behaviour b) in initiation of treatment. Majority of the subjects who had low serum C-peptide levels also had low BMI, suggesting a positive correlation between C-peptide levels and BMI. Majority of the subjects with positive family history had normal or high serum C-peptide levels suggesting a positive family history favours type 2 behaviour. Conclusions: This study suggests measurement of C-peptide levels in newly detected diabetic subjects is of great value.

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