Non-ophthalmologic findings of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial

The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) was a large and rigorously conducted trial which definitively established that longterm hyperglycemia causes longterm diabetic complications. In this review the author considers the non-ophthalmologic results of the DCCT and the applications of these findings to current and future care of diabetic patients. It is concluded that people with diabetes do not need to anticipate a future of diabetic complications, and that improved glycemic control can be achieved through the education and cooperation of physicians, patients, and health care payers.