Abstract
Although the prognosis of diabetic patients has been largely improved since the introduction of insulin for the treatment of diabetes the longevity of diabetics still appears to be shorter than that of the general population. The present study was performed to determine the survival rate of diabetics in Japan. The subjects studied comprised 507 people who received OGTT and other examinations for cardiovascular complications, because of postprandial glycosuria in an epidemiological survey of diabetes carried out in 1964-1965, in a town of Osaka Prefecture.
1) The 10-year observed survival rates of subjects with a normal or borderline type of OGTT, according to the criteria recommended by the Japan Diabetic Society, failed to differ from the 10-year expected survival rates. The observed survival rate of subjects with advanced diabetes was markedly decreased, while that of subjects with mild diabetes did not differ from the expected survival rate.
2) The serum glucose levels, F≥160 mg/dl, 1-h≥300 mg/dl, 2-h≥260 mg/dl, and glucose area≥750 mg/dl were associated with a decrease in the 10-year relative survival rate.
3) The presence of hypertension, ischemic ECG changes and albuminuria, when accompanied by glucose intolerance, was also correlated with a decrease in the relative survival rate.
4) During the 10-year follow-up period, a total of 111 deaths was observed, and cardiovascular diseases were the major causes of death in each group. The risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases, however, was significantly increased in the borderline group as well as in the diabetic group. Cerebrovascular disease and diseases of the heart behaved in a similar manner. Cirrhosis of the liver was more frequent in the two groups.
