A 15-YEAR FOLLOW-UP-STUDY OF PATIENTS WITH NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS (NIDDM) IN OSAKA, JAPAN - FACTORS PREDICTIVE OF THE PROGNOSIS OF DIABETIC-PATIENTS

Risk factors related to the prognosis of diabetic patients were studie d in a follow-up study of 1939 patients with non-insulin-dependent dia betes mellitus (NIDDM) for a mean observation period of 15 years at ou r institute. Age at entry into the study was the most powerful risk fa ctor related to the survival of diabetic patients in this study. Moreo ver, the risk of death, computed in relation to baseline factors, was significantly increased in male patients; in patients with fasting pla sma glucose (FPG) levels greater than 140 mg/dl, with hypertension, wi th diabetic retinopathy or with proteinuria; and in patients treated w ith an oral hypoglycemic agent or insulin at baseline, even after corr ection for age. The baseline factors were compared between the groups of patients who were alive and who had died at the end of the follow-u p study. Greater age at onset of NIDDM and at entry into the study, hi gher FPG level, higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as an increase in the proportion of male patients and in patients with ischemic ECG changes, with diabetic retinopathy, with proteinuria, an d with treatment with an oral hypoglycemic agent or insulin, were obse rved in the group of deceased patients. Furthermore, multiple logistic analysis indicated a significant relationship of age at entry, FPG, h ypertension, retinopathy, proteinuria and therapeutic regimen to progn osis. We also found that the baseline factors predictive of prognosis were very different in each age group. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Irela nd Ltd.