Ra. Bell et al., Medical examiner cases associated with previously undiagnosed diabetes mellitus, North Carolina, 1994, SOUTH MED J, 91(2), 1998, pp. 151-154
Background. Approximately half of the 16 million Americans with diabetes me
llitus (DM) are unaware they have the disease; the epidemiology of death fr
om previously undiagnosed DM is unclear. We report medical examiner (ME) ca
ses of death from DM in North Carolina in 1994 to determine the number and
characteristics of these cases.
Methods. Deaths from DM ICD-9 were identified and reviewed.
Results. Of the 42 cases ascertained from ME records, 6 had previously undi
agnosed DM, 5 had diabetes ketoacidosis, and 1 had nonketotic hyperosmolar
hyperglycemia. Mean patient age at death for all cases was 42 years (range,
35 years to 57 years). Four patients felt bad at least 24 hours before dea
th, indicating that they are not technically "sudden deaths."
Conclusions. We provide a limited epidemiologic perspective of the phenomen
on of death from undiagnosed DM. We suggest further investigation of mortal
ity from previously undiagnosed diabetes.