title: Meta-analysis of effects of intensive blood-glucose control on late complications of type I diabetes.
abstract: Tight blood glucose control has been speculated to reduce late complications in insulin-dependent diabetics but results from individual studies have been inconsistent. We have done a meta-analysis of sixteen randomised trials of intensive therapy to estimate its impact on the progression of diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy and the risks of severe side-effects. In the intensive therapy group, the risk of retinopathy progression was insignificantly higher after 6-12 months of intensive control (odds ratio [OR] 2.11). After more than two years of intensive therapy the risk of retinopathy progression was lower (OR 0.49 [95% confidence interval 0.28-0.85], p = 0.011). The risk of nephropathy progression was also decreased significantly (OR 0.34 [0.20-0.58], p < 0.001). The incidence of severe hypoglycaemia increased by 9.1 episodes per 100 person-years (95% Cl -1.4 to +19.6) in the intensively treated patients. The incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis increased by 12.6 episodes per 100 person-years (95% Cl, 8.7-16.5) in the patients on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion. Long-term intensive blood glucose control significantly reduces the risk of diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy progression but long-term continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion was associated with an increased incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis, and intensive therapy may cause more severe hypoglycaemic reactions.
authors.affiliation: Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chalmers
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000097:blood; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000097:blood; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose