Follow-up study of type 2 diabetic outpatients after educational hospitalization

To clarify problems in diabetic control, we followed up 360 diabetic men aged 49 ± 10 years, excluding those with insulin treatment and/or insufficient clinical data, who underwent educational programs during hospitalization, for 24 months after discharge, at our outpatient department (OPD). Patients were divided into 4 groups: discontinued (n = 17%) (out of medical control over 1 year), interrupted (n = 18%) (under medical control but with interruptions), hospital change (n = 22%) (under medical care at another hospital) and continuing (n = 43%) (still regularly visiting the OPD). Mean HbA1c was significantly elevated after discontinuation or interruption, although patients had been in good control in the continuing group until just before discontinuation or interruption. Discontinuation and interruption involved many factors-transfer, long waits at the OPD, urgent business, no subjective symptoms, environmental change, insufficient correspondence between medical and educational in diabetic treatment, etc.