Glycemic control in type 1 diabetic patients following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

We investigated the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami that occurred on March 11, 2011 on glycemic control in 79 patients with type 1 diabetes. The mean HbAlc level in all patients increased significantly (p<0.01) from 7.81 ± 1.34 % to 8.07 ± 1.39 % within one to two months after the earthquake, and then decreased to the level observed before the earthquake at six months after the earthquake. A multiple regression analysis was applied to the following factors: age, sex, residence (coast or inland), the HbA1c level before the earthquake, diet, exercise habits and whether the subject had sufficient insulin or had to stay in a shelter. Among these variables, only the need to stay in a shelter was found to have a significant influence on changes in the HbA1c levels after the earthquake. The living environments of the patients were significantly different at the shelters; therefore, it was difficult for them to control their blood glucose levels. However, the HbA1c levels of the patients who stayed in their own homes after the earthquake also increased significantly. Hence, other factors may have affected their glycemic control.