[Prognosis of diabetes mellitus after an early diagnosis by means of glucosuria screening. Results of a 10 year course control].

The 10-year course of diabetes in 250 patients detected by glucosuria screening in 1963 was evaluated in an inter-individual pair comparison with patients from the same territory admitted during the same calendar year. Pairs were grouped according to age, sex, and weight. Judged by mortality, survival time, causes of death, and vascular complications, the medium-term prognosis was not improved by screening, although in the screening group a strict diet could be maintained to a greater extent. Problems of evaluation and effectiveness of mass examination in chronic diseases are discussed. Glucosuria and hyperglycemia do not suffice as screening criteria for the early recognition of the complex risk of arteriosclerosis in maturity onset diabetes. Multi-screening in groups with especially high diabetes risk is expected to yield higher effectiveness than the mass screening hitherto performed.