Hypoglycemic episodes in hospitalized people with diabetes in Portugal: the HIPOS-WARD study

• Published in: Clinical diabetes and endocrinology 2021-01, Vol.7 (1), p.2-2, Article 2
• Main Authors: Alão, Sílvia, Conceição, João, Dores, Jorge, Santos, Lèlita, Araújo, Francisco, Pape, Estevão, Reis, Mónica, Chipepo, Árcia, Nascimento, Edite, Baptista, Ana, Pires, Vanessa, Marques, Carlos, Lages, Adriana De Sousa, Pelicano-Romano, João, de Jesus, Paula M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Body mass index; Care and treatment; Diabetes; Diabetics; Drugs; Emergency medical care; Endocrinology; Hospitalization; Hospitals; Hyperglycemia; Hypoglycemia; Hypoglycemic episodes; Inpatients; Institutionalization; Insulin resistance; Internal medicine; Literacy; Patients; Risk factors; Social aspects; Type 2 diabetes; Values
• ISSN: 2055-8260; 2055-8260
• DOI: 10.1186/s40842-020-00114-3

We intended to estimate the proportion hypoglycemic/hyperglycemic emergency episodes in treated diabetes mellitus (DM) patients admitted to a hospital ward, and calculate the prevalence of risk factors for hypoglycemia and diabetic complications. In this cross-sectional, multicentered study, the observational data was collected by physicians from patient's hospitalization to discharge/death. Statistical tests were 2-tailed considering 5% significance level. There were 646 ward admissions due to hyperglycemic emergencies and 176 hypoglycemic episodes with a ratio hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia 0.27 for all DM patients. In T2DM patients the ratio was 0.38. These were mainly female (55.1%), functionally dependent (61.4%) and retired/disabled (73.1%). Median age was 75 years and median duration of disease 11 years. Half the patients were on insulin-based therapy and 30.1% on secretagogue-based therapy. Approximately 57% of patients needed occasional/full assistance to manage the disease. The most frequent risk factor for hypoglycemia was polypharmacy (85.0%). Hypoglycemia in the 12 months before admission was higher in insulin-based therapy patients (66.1%; p = 0.001). Hyperglycemic emergencies are the most frequent cause of hospitalization in Portugal, although severe hypoglycemic events represent a health and social problem in elderly/frail patients. There is still the need to optimize therapy in terms of the potential for hypoglycemia in this patient group and a review of anti-hyperglycemic agents to add on to insulin.