Table 1.

Summary of patients' information collected during a severe hypoglycemic event

Variable	Total	Hypokalemia	Normokalemia	Hyperkalemia	p value
No. of individuals	219	48	167	4
Age, yr	71.0 ± 10.7	69.4 ± 11.1	71.4 ± 10.6	71.3 ± 11.8	0.13
Sex, male:female	90:129	20:28	69:98	1:3	0.97
Duration of diabetes, yr	10 (0.08–40.0)	10 (0.083–40.0)	10 (0.16–40)	10 (3–20)	0.06
Hypertension	145 (66.2)	34 (70.8)	108 (64.7)	3 (75.0)	0.43
Duration, yr	7 (0.33–40)	10 (0.33–40)	10 (1–40)	8 (8–10)	0.87
ARB/ACE inhibitors	50	11	39	0	0.49
Diuretics	22	5	17	0	0.80
β-Blockers	13	6	6	1	0.07
Calcium channel blockers	36	10	25	1	0.69
Treatment of diabetes	214	47	163	4	0.57
OHA alone	169 (79.0)	35 (74.5)	131 (80.4)	3 (75.0)
Insulin alone	26 (12.1)	6 (12.8)	19 (11.7)	1 (25.0)
Combination	19 (8.9)	6 (12.8)	13 (8.0)	0
HbA1c, %	6.6 ± 1.7	6.9 ± 1.9	6.5 ± 1.7	5.7 ± 0.0	0.49
Blood glucose, mg/dL	34 (6–69)	30 (14–62)	35 (10–69)	46 (6–65)	0.04
Serum sodium, mmol/L	141.5 ± 4.8	141.8 ± 3.7	141.4 ± 5.1	139.2 ± 3.9	0.78
Serum chloride, mmol/L	103.5 ± 5.1	102.6 ± 4.7	103.8 ± 5.3	102.6 ± 3.8	0.12
Serum potassium, mmol/L	4.0 ± 0.6	3.2 ± 0.2	4.1 ± 0.4	5.7 ± 0.2	< 0.01

Values are presented as number, mean ± SD, median (interquartile range), or number (%). A p value indicates comparison of participant characteristics between hypokalemia and normokalemia groups. Vital signs and laboratory data during severe hypoglycemia were measured upon hospital arrival.

ARB, angiotensin II receptor blockers; ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme; OHA, oral hypoglycemic agent; HbA1c, hemoglobin A1c.