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Table 1 Characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes in relation to hypoglycemia during admission

From: Hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus during hospitalization: associated factors and prognostic value

Characteristic

No hypoglycemia (n = 170)

Mild hypoglycemia (blood glucose 56–70 mg/dL) (n = 63)

Severe hypoglycemia (blood glucose ≤ 55 mg/dL) (n = 91)

Any hypoglycemia (n = 154)

Demographics

    

Age (years)

66 (57–75)

71 (65–77)*

74 (66–79)***

73 (66–78)***

Sex (male), n (%)

118 (69.4)

41 (65.0)

55 (60.4)

96 (62.3)

Metabolic characteristics

    

Known diagnosis of type 2 diabetes before admission, n (%)

139 (81.7)

59 (93.6)*

88 (96.7)***

147 (95.4)***

Ambulatory treatment with insulin before admission, n (%)

56 (32.9)

43 (68.2)***

52 (57.1)***

95 (61.6)***

Insulin dose before admission (IU/kg/day)a

0.42 (0.23–0.63)

0.41 (0.27–0.61)

0.64 (0.44–0.91)**

0.57 (0.35–0.95)*

Multiple doses of insulin before admission, n (%)b

27 (50.0)

23 (53.4)

41 (78.8)**

64 (67.3)*

Body mass index (kg/m2)c

29.3 (25.6–34.1)

28.1 (24.0–32.5)

25.2 (22.4–29.1)***

25.8 (23.0–31.1)***

Serum glucose on admission (mg/dL)d

240 (182–349)

236 (142–311)

225 (160–309)

226 (152–310)

HbA1c during or before admission (%)e

8.1 (7.0–9.9)

7.6 (6.6–9.2)*

7.4 (6.5–8.9)**

7.5 (6.6–8.9)**

Comorbidities

    

Charlson Comorbidity Index

5 (4–7)

6 (5–8)***

7 (6–9)***

7 (6–9)***

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (mL/min/1.7 m2)f

67 (40–87)

50 (31–84)

48 (27–76)**

48 (27–82)**

Characteristics of admission

    

Surgical department admission, n (%)

48 (28.2)

26 (41.2)

38 (41.7)*

64 (41.5)*

ICU admission, n (%)

13 (7.6)

10 (15.8)

14 (15.3)

24 (15.5)*

Days until assessment by the Endocrinology department

5 (3–8)

7 (3–9)

8 (4–14)***

7 (4–13)***

Therapy during admission

    

Insulin, n (%)g

150 (88.2)

61 (96.8)*

91 (100.0)***

152 (98.7)***

Secretagogues, n (%)h

13 (7.6)

6 (9.5)

16 (17.5)*

22 (14.2)

Antidiabetic agents that are unlikely to cause hypoglycemia, n (%)i

112 (65.8)

34 (53.9)

37 (40.6)***

71 (46.1)***

Systemic corticosteroids, n (%)j

75 (44.1)

31 (49.2)

49 (53.8)

80 (51.9)

  1. Numerical variables are expressed as medians and interquartile ranges (within parentheses)
  2. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001 versus patients with no hypoglycemia
  3. aData available for 110 patients (only patients with ambulatory treatment with insulin were included)
  4. bOutpatient treatment with 2 or more insulin injections per day. Data available for 149 patients (only patients with ambulatory treatment with insulin were included)
  5. cCalculated only if the body weight was available during admission. Data available for 282 patients
  6. dData available for 296 patients
  7. ePreferably, HbA1c value during admission was used. If not available, the most recent HbA1c value available before admission was used. Data available for 320 patients
  8. fGlomerular filtration rate was estimated by CKD-EPI equation, using the first creatinine value available during admission. Data available for 321 patients
  9. gPatients who received at least one dose of any type of subcutaneous or intravenous insulin
  10. hIncludes sulfonylureas and meglitinides
  11. iIncludes metformin, DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors and thiazolidinediones
  12. jPatients who received at least one dose of any type of oral or intravenous glucocorticoid
  13. ICU, intensive care unit
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Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome

ISSN: 1758-5996

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