Table 2 Hypoglycemia episode characterization, overall and by class of anti-hyperglycemic agent
From: Hypoglycemic episodes in hospitalized people with diabetes in Portugal: the HIPOS-WARD study
Total (n = 176) | Class of anti-hyperglycemic agent therapy | P-value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Insulin-based therapy (n = 88) | Secretagogue-based therapy (n = 53) | Non-secretagogue-based therapy (n = 17) | Insulin + secretagogue therapy (n = 18) | |||
Hypoglycemia episode, n(%) | 176 (100.0) | 88 (50.0) | 53 (30.1) | 17 (9.7) | 18 (10.2) | |
HbA1c, median (min;max)(%) | 6.9 (4.0;27.0) | 7.6 (4.6;27.0) | 5.8 (4.0;14.2) | 5.8 (4.6;9.9) | 7.0 (5.4;10.3) | < 0.001b |
Lowest glycemia, median (min;max)(mg/dL) | 74.0 (20.0;268.0) | 56.0 (20.0;268.0) | 80.0 (30.0;159.0) | 76.5 (39.0;170.0) | 91.5 (25.0;160.0) | 0.041b |
Complications as result of hypo, n(%) | 26 (14.9) | 15 (17.2) | 7 (13.2) | 0 (0.0) | 4 (22.2) | 0.240c |
Major trauma | 3 (11.5) | 3 (20.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0.719c |
Acute atherosclerotic event | 1 (3.8) | 1 (6.7) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | > 0.999c |
Other CV event | 4 (15.4) | 1 (6.7) | 1 (14.3) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (50.0) | 0.137c |
Neurologic | 6 (23.1) | 6 (40.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0.089c |
Infection | 6 (23.1) | 4 (26.7) | 1 (14.3) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (25.0) | > 0.999c |
Other | 9 (34.6) | 3 (20.0) | 5 (71.4) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (25.0) | 0.055c |
Repeated hypo during hospitalization, n(%) | 63 (36.0) | 41 (47.1) | 14 (26.4) | 5 (29.4) | 3 (16.7) | 0.018a |
Lenght of stay in ward, median (min;max)(h) | 146.6 (1.6;1782.3) | 159.6 (1.6;1782.3) | 118.4 (19.4;781.9) | 168.6 (34.7;935.0) | 165.7 (34.4;1583.7) | 0.275b |
Discharge destination, n(%) | 0.198c | |||||
Home | 113 (64.2) | 52 (59.1) | 40 (75.5) | 11 (64.7) | 10 (55.6) | |
Ambulatory | 24 (13.6) | 17 (19.3) | 2 (3.8) | 2 (11.8) | 3 (16.7) | |
Institution | 30 (17.0) | 12 (13.6) | 10 (18.9) | 3 (17.6) | 5 (27.8) | |
Other hospital | 1 (0.6) | 1 (1.1) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
Death | 8 (4.5) | 6 (6.8) | 1 (1.9) | 1 (5.9) | 0 (0.0) | |
Risk factors for hypoglycemia, n(%)e | ||||||
> 75 years | 87 (49.4) | 36 (40.9) | 32 (60.4) | 6 (35.3) | 13 (72.2) | 0.017a |
Dementia | 28 (16.7) | 11 (13.4) | 11 (21.2) | 2 (12.5) | 4 (22.2) | 0.543c |
Major sensorial impairment | ||||||
Blindness | 13 (7.4) | 9 (10.3) | 2 (3.8) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (11.1) | 0.297c |
Deafness | 6 (3.4) | 2 (2.3) | 1 (1.9) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (16.7) | 0.050c |
Hypothyroidism | 14 (10.1) | 9 (13.4) | 3 (7.3) | 1 (7.1) | 1 (6.3) | 0.811c |
Adrenal failure | 3 (2.2) | 2 (2.9) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (7.1) | 0 (0.0) | 0.267c |
Severe renal failure | 19 (38.0) | 11 (39.3) | 4 (25.0) | 1 (50.0) | 3 (75.0) | 0.263c |
Hepatic failure | 7 (4.1) | 5 (5.9) | 2 (3.8) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0.875c |
Cachexia/significant malnourishment | 19 (10.9) | 15 (17.2) | 2 (3.8) | 1 (6.3) | 1 (5.6) | 0.068d |
Brittle diabetes | 21 (14.9) | 15 (23.1) | 4 (9.3) | 2 (12.5) | 0 (0.0) | 0.049c |
Weaning of corticosteroid drugs | 10 (5.8) | 4 (4.7) | 1 (1.9) | 4 (23.5) | 1 (5.6) | 0.025c |
Previous hypo in last 12 months | 58 (47.5) | 39 (66.1) | 11 (28.9) | 4 (30.8) | 4 (33.3) | 0.001a |
Lifestyle factors | ||||||
Irregular meals | 52 (37.1) | 28 (36.8) | 13 (32.5) | 6 (54.5) | 5 (38.5) | 0.606c |
Shift work | 4 (2.4) | 4 (4.7) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0.515c |
Other | 7 (4.0) | 5 (5.7) | 2 (3.8) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0.872c |
Polypharmacy | 147 (85.0) | 69 (81.2) | 45 (84.9) | 16 (94.1) | 17 (94.4) | 0.412c |
High risk for complications after the event | ||||||
Coronary heart disease | 32 (25.0) | 17 (26.6) | 8 (21.6) | 3 (21.4) | 4 (30.8) | 0.897c |
Cerebrovascular disease | 31 (24.2) | 15 (23.8) | 12 (30.8) | 3 (21.4) | 1 (8.3) | 0.613c |
Heart failure | 48 (28.9) | 20 (23.8) | 19 (36.5) | 3 (23.1) | 6 (35.3) | 0.372d |
Peripheral artery disease | 25 (22.1) | 10 (18.5) | 6 (18.2) | 3 (21.4) | 6 (50.0) | 0.151c |
Osteoporosis | 8 (7.6) | 3 (5.4) | 3 (10.0) | 1 (9.1) | 1 (12.5) | 0.518c |
Living alone | 33 (18.8) | 19 (21.6) | 8 (15.1) | 4 (23.5) | 2 (11.1) | 0.642c |