OBJECTIVES : To analyze the mortality and life expectancy among patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and compare it to that of the general Bulgarian population for the period 2012-2015.

METHODS : A retrospective analysis of mortality data from the National diabetes register and National statistical institute for the diabetics and general population respectively was performed. All-cause mortality and deaths in the group of diabetics (E00-E90) were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed for each age group and a log-rank analysis of statistical significance was conducted.

RESULTS : Average life expectancy in the general population was 73.78 years, patients with Type 1 DM was 70.30, and 74.64 years in patients with Type 2 DM. In the early stages of diabetes, survivability was similar to that of the general population, at around 45 years of age, when chronic conditions begin to develop in the general population, their survivability probability drops, but gets higher than that of patients with diabetes. Overall, diabetics have a 85% lower mortality risk than general population before the age of 70. Post 70 years, diabetics have a 13% higher mortality risk than the general population. Throughout the observed 5 year period, life expectancy increased significantly for patients with DM by approximately a year.

CONCLUSIONS : Patients with type 2 DM have a longer life-expectancy than patients with type-1 DM and the general population. This might be an evidence of improved disease control in Bulgaria.