[The effect of education on metabolic compensation in diabetics]

The authors evaluate the effect of two years intense individual education on the metabolic compensation of diabetics. They evaluate it in 611 patients with regard to the blood concentration of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The improved compensation was most marked in diabetics treated by a combination of insulin and oral antidiabetics (by 2.3%); in the remaining groups treated with insulin alone, with diet alone and derivatives of sulphonyl urea by 1.0-1.4%. Individual education of diabetics, of sufficiently intense, contributes substantially to compensation and should be the basic working method in all diabetological surgeries. The prerequisite of success is a well trained diabetological nurse and dietitian.