Hypoglycemia Awareness is Limited Among Type 1 Diabetes Patients

Awareness of hypoglycemia among patients with type 1 diabetes is limited, despite a high rate of hypoglycemic episodes among this patient population, according to a recent study.

Recent studies have suggested that rates of hypoglycemia among patients with type 1 diabetes are as high as 35%. In order to assess these rates further, the researchers conducted a study of data from a cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes.

Overall, 39.8% of the participants had experienced at least 1 episode of severe hypoglycemia within the last 6 months, 11.4% of which included loss of consciousness within the past 12 months. Using the Clark test, the researchers found that 40.9% of the participants were not well informed about hypoglycemia. Older age and longer diabetes duration were associated with a higher risk of severe hypoglycemia and loss of consciousness, while older age and lower HbA1c were associated with greater likelihood of impaired hypoglycemia awareness.

“Our study allows us to confirm the high rate of severe hypoglycemia and impaired awareness of hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes,” the researchers concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Corrales PJP, Lozano CA, Martinez CJ, et al. Prevalence of severe hypoglycemia in a cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes. EDN. 2021;68(1):47-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.endinu.2020.01.002