Natural course of diabetes mellitus involves gradual reduction of β cell mass within islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Symptoms of diabetes present when the mass of insulin-producing cells reaches a point where insulin concentration does not suffice to maintain proper glycaemia. In many patients β cells regenerate shortly after the diagnosis of diabetes and initiation of insulin therapy. This phenomenon is called a remission.~The aim of this study is to asses influence of occurrence and duration of remission on development of chronic complications of diabetes and patients outcome.~Clinical remission was defined as time in which all of the following criteria were met: HbA1c below 6.5 % , dose of exogenous insulin below 0.3 U / kg body weight and serum C-peptide concentration above 0.5 ng / ml. Patients were divided into those who were in remission at any time during follow-up (remitters) and non-remitters.~At follow-up occurrence of chronic microvascular complications of diabetes (retinopathy, diabetic kidney disease and neuropathy) was evaluated.
Natural course of diabetes mellitus involves gradual reduction of β cell mass within islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Symptoms of diabetes present when the mass of insulin-producing cells reaches a point where insulin concentration does not suffice to maintain proper glycaemia. In many patients β cells regenerate shortly after the diagnosis of diabetes and initiation of insulin therapy. This phenomenon is called a remission.~The aim of this study is to asses the influence of occurrence and duration of remission on development of chronic complications of diabetes and patients outcome.