Preprint Article Version 2 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Risk of Hospitalization in Diabetic Patients with Severe Hypoglycemia: A Single-Center Study

Version 1 : Received: 8 September 2022 / Approved: 13 September 2022 / Online: 13 September 2022 (02:35:45 CEST)
Version 2 : Received: 18 September 2022 / Approved: 19 September 2022 / Online: 19 September 2022 (05:30:31 CEST)
Version 3 : Received: 21 September 2022 / Approved: 22 September 2022 / Online: 22 September 2022 (03:22:16 CEST)

How to cite: Pieramati, L.; Mantovani, E.; Lucchini, G.; Amato, M. Risk of Hospitalization in Diabetic Patients with Severe Hypoglycemia: A Single-Center Study. Preprints 2022, 2022090153. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202209.0153.v2 Pieramati, L.; Mantovani, E.; Lucchini, G.; Amato, M. Risk of Hospitalization in Diabetic Patients with Severe Hypoglycemia: A Single-Center Study. Preprints 2022, 2022090153. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202209.0153.v2

Abstract

Background: Severe hypoglycemia is defined as having low blood glucose levels that requires assistance from another person to treat. Severe hypoglycemia is classed as a diabetic emergency and is a complication that can occur in people with diabetes that take insulin and certain anti-diabetic drugs. The aim of our study was to evaluate the risk factors associated with hospitalization. Methods: The study was retrospectively conducted on the clinical records of adults with severe hypoglycemia who were admitted consecutively to the Emergency Department (ED) of the Carlo Poma Hospital from January 2021 to December 2021. Results: Overall, 50 patients were identified and most of these were elderly and had multiple comorbidities. They were treated with oral hypoglycemic drugs such as sulfonylureas or glinides (42%), insulin (46%) or both (6%). Hospitalization rates and in-hospital deaths occurred in 62% and in 4% of patients, respectively. No risk factors were statistically significantly correlated with hospitalizations. Most of these were needed for the frailty of the elderly diabetic patients and their comorbidities, rather than the episode of severe hypoglycemia. Conclusions: In our study, episodes of severe hypoglycemia can be a sign of the frailty of older diabetic patients and poor home care, who often require hospitalization.

Keywords

hypoglycemia; hospitalization; diabetes

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Endocrinology and Metabolism

Comments (1)

Comment 1
Received: 19 September 2022
Commenter: Leonardo Pieramati
Commenter's Conflict of Interests: Author
Comment: In most cases hospitalization was necessary due to the frailty of the older patients and their various comorbidities, rather than the episode of severe hypoglycemia which was always promptly resolved in the Emergency Department. Clearly, this leads to a different conclusion from the article.
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