To evaluate the relationship of blood ketone bodies with diabetic control and endogenous insulin secretion, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting serum C-peptide (CPR), blood total ketone-bodies (TKB), blood acetoacetate (AcAc) and blood 3-hydroxybutyrate (3-OHB) were compared in 78 outpatients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) treated with diet (n = 13), sulfonylurea (n = 52) and insulin (n = 13). TKB, AcAc and 3-OHB in patients treated with insulin were significantly higher than in patients treated with diet or sulfonylurea. In patients given diet therapy, log 3-OHB showed significant negative correlations with FPG, HbA1c and CPR. In patients treated with sulfonylurea, log 3-OHB showed significant positive correlations with FPG and HbA1c, but not with CPR. In patients treated with insulin, there were no correlations of log 3-OHB with FPG, HbA1c and CPR. For evaluation of the metabolic state in diabetes mellitus, measurement of blood ketone bodies is useful, and moreover necessary, in addition to diabetic control or determination of the endogenous insulin level.