FOLLOW-UP STUDY OF DIABETICS TREATED FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS AT OUR OUTPATIENT CLINIC

During the last 11 years, 259 diabetics who visited our outpatient diabetic clinic were treated for at least for six months. Of these, 111 are still regularly visiting our outpatient clinic and 58 are cared for at other medical insitutions, while 40 died and 21 are without any medical supervdsion at present. Twenty-nine cases were lost to follow-up. All the living patients initially treated by insulin are under proper medical care now.The mortality rate was significantly higher in insulin-treated patients than in those given diet therapy alone or those treated by oral hypoglycemic agents. The mortality rate was also high in patients over the age of 60 years and in relatively young patients under the age of 40 years. The leading causes of death were cerebrovascular accidents (11 cases) and heart failure (11cases).