Ann Fam Med

How common is impaired awareness of hypoglycemia in patients with T2DM?

July 26, 2024

Impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH) was frequent among patients using sulfonylureas long term, but likelihood was reduced among those who received regular diabetes-related medical care. Authors call for further prospective studies to confirm the associations.

• This cross-sectional study included 898 patients (41.0% insulin users, 65.1% sulfonylurea users; mean age, 59.9 years, 50.7% female) who were enrolled in pharmacies, clinics, and health bureaus in Taiwan. Presence of IAH was determined using Chinese versions of the Gold questionnaire (Gold-TW) and Clarke questionnaire (Clarke-TW).
• The overall prevalence of IAH was 41.0% (Gold-TW) and 28.2% (Clarke-TW) among insulin users, and 65.3% (Gold-TW) and 51.3% (Clarke-TW) among sulfonylurea users. Prevalence increased with duration of sulfonylurea use, whereas it decreased with duration of insulin use. After controlling for confounders, ≥5 years of sulfonylurea use was associated with 3.50-fold and 3.06-fold increases in odds of IAH based on Gold-TW and Clarke-TW criteria, respectively. Regular blood glucose testing and retinal exams were associated with reduced odds of IAH among both insulin and sulfonylurea users.

Source:

Cheng HJ, et al. (2024, July 22). Ann Fam Med. Long-Term Sulfonylurea Use and Impaired Awareness of Hypoglycemia Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in Taiwan. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38914437/