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Control of blood-glucose levels was monitored for 12 wk after withdrawal of biguanides in a group of 118 diabetic patients treated with biguanides (alone or in combination with sulphonylurea) from a population of 39,200. The mean fasting blood-glucose level rose during the first 2 wk from 9.2 +/- 0.3 to 11.3 +/- 0.4 mmol/l (p less than 0.001) and the mean urinary-glucose excretion from 11.7 +/- 3.7 g/24 h to 36.5 +/- 5.5 g/24 h (p less than 0.001), respectively. The change in blood-glucose concentration did not depend on age, sex, bodyweight, or duration of diabetes or biguanide treatment. The mean increase in blood-glucose was similar (2.1-3.1 mmol/l) in subjects with their initial blood-glucose level less than or equal to 6.0 mmol/l, 6.1-11.0 mmol/l, and greater than or equal to 11.1 mmol/l. There were no changes in blood-lipids or bodyweight during the observation period. Biguanides reduced blood-glucose levels in most patients with maturity-onset diabetes. The hypoglycaemic effect was similar in subjects with normal and increased bodyweight and did not depend on the duration or severity of diabetes.