RESUMO
In a study over one year, it was observed that mortality amongst hospitalised patients with non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIBDM) was nearly 20%. Those dying within 24 hr were classified as group A, between one day and one week as B, between one week and one month as C, and those after one month as D. There were 31 patients each in groups A and B, 14 in C, and 4 in D. The mean age at death was 61 years in the first three groups. The prevalence of cerebro-vascular accident as a terminal event was similar i.e. 32.2, 35.5 and 35.7 per cent in groups A, B and C respectively; 48% of patients in group A suffered from ischaemic heart disease. Diabetic ketoacidosis was equally prevalent amongst groups A, B and C. Infection was significantly more common in group B (45.2%) than A (P less than 0.05). Nephropathy was observed in 57% of patients in group C as compared to 22.5% in A (P less than 0.02). Cerebrovascular accident and infection were the major causes of mortality in groups B and C (80.7% and 71.4%), whereas ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular accident accounted for 80% of deaths in group A.