Abstract: Objective：To analyze the causes of death in diabetic inpatients, in order to provide preliminary epidemiological information of diabetes in Guangdong province. Methods：Data of inpatients who died with diabetes in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from 1998 to 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Results：During the 10 years, 530 diabetic inpatients died，accounting for 12.5% of the total number of hospital deaths, with a mortality rate of 3.0%. The percentage of death in diabetic inpatients ascribed to cardiovascular diseases, infection, carcinoma, cerebrovascular diseases and nephrosis was 27.2%, 21.8%, 15.4%, 12.5% and 6.6%, respectively. The mortality rate ascribed to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, diabetic emergency and diabetic nephrosis was 39.7%, 1.7% and 5.0%, respetively. Conclusion：Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are the major causes of death in diabetic inpatients, with infections and carcinoma as important causes.