Table 2.
Background characteristics of patients with severe hypoglycemia
| Characteristic | Distribution |
|---|---|
| Type of diabetes | |
| Type 1 diabetes, n (%) | 240 (30.1%) |
| Type 2 diabetes, n (%) | 480 (60.2%) |
| Other (including “unknown”), n (%) | 78 (9.8%) |
| Sex (males/females), n (%) | 464 (58.1%)/334 (41.9%) |
| Age (years), median (25th–75th percentiles) | 71.5 (58.0‒81.0) |
| Duration of diabetes (years), mean ± SD | 19.9 ± 11.9 |
| BMI (kg/m2), median (25th–75th percentiles) | 21.6 (19.2‒24.2) |
| eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2), median (25th–75th percentiles) | 58.4 (35.6‒80.2) |
| Glucose value at presentation (before treatment), median (25th–75th percentiles) | 32.0 (24.0‒40.0) |
| HbA1c (%), median (25th–75th percentiles) | 7.0 (6.3‒8.1) |
| Time period of onset of severe hypoglycemia, n (%) | |
| 0‒3 | 64 (8.3) |
| 3‒6 | 41 (5.3) |
| 6‒9 | 92 (11.9) |
| 9‒12 | 114 (14.7) |
| 12‒15 | 110 (14.2) |
| 15‒18 | 105 (13.6) |
| 18‒21 | 149 (19.3) |
| 21‒24 | 99 (12.8) |
| Antecedent symptoms of hypoglycemia, n (%) | |
| Absent | 284 (35.6) |
| Present | 283 (35.5) |
| Unknown | 231 (28.9) |
| Recovery from impaired consciousness, n (%) | |
| Yes | 780 (97.5) |
| CNS sequelae, n (%) | |
| Present | 18 (2.3) |
| Serious complications of severe hypoglycemia, n (%) | |
| Absent | 768 (96.0) |
| Present | 30 (3.8) |
| Other complications present, n | |
| CAD | 1 |
| Arrhythmia | 1 |
| Death | 11 |
| Cognitive decline | 8 |
| Other | 14 |
| Prior history of severe hypoglycemia requiring visits to emergency departments, n (%) | |
| No | 354 (44.5) |
| Yes | 296 (37.2) |
| Unknown | 146 (18.3) |
| Number (proportion) of patients experiencing traffic accidents or near accidents, n (%) | |
| No | 567 (71.1) |
| Yes | 15 (1.9) |
| Unknown | 215 (27.0) |
BMI body mass index, CAD coronary artery disease, CNS central nervous system, eGFR estimated glomerular filtration rate, SD standard deviation