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Aim: The epidemiology of asymptomatic (silent) hypoglycaemia is not well‐described. We investigated incidence and risk factors for asymptomatic hypoglycaemia in Type 1 diabetes. Methods: A cohort of 153 people with Type 1 diabetes participated in 6 days of blinded continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and recording of hypoglycaemia symptoms. At entry, hypoglycaemia awareness was classified (by three different methods) and HbA1c and C‐peptide were measured. Hypoglycaemic episodes were defined as interstitial glucose ≤ 3.9 mmol/l (IG3.9) or ≤ 3.0 mmol/l (IG3.0) for ≥ 15 min, and were considered asymptomatic if no hypoglycaemic symptoms were reported. Results: At thresholds IG3.9 and IG3.0, the incidence rates of hypoglycaemic episodes were 5.0 (7.9) [median (IQR)] and 1.3 (3.4) episodes/person‐week, respectively. Three‐quarters of episodes were asymptomatic. In total, 77% and 52% of participants experienced one or more episode of asymptomatic hypoglycaemia at IG3.9 and IG3.0 [3.0 (6.2) and 1.0 (2.3) asymptomatic episodes/person‐week]. At multivariate analysis, reduced awareness was positively associated with asymptomatic hypoglycaemia, particularly nocturnal events, and negatively with symptomatic hypoglycaemia. High insulin dose was associated with increased risk of both asymptomatic and symptomatic hypoglycaemia, whereas low HbA1c and long diabetes duration were risk factors only for symptomatic hypoglycaemia. Conclusions: Asymptomatic hypoglycaemia constitutes the majority of hypoglycaemic events in Type 1 diabetes. Reduced hypoglycaemia awareness and high insulin dose are risk factors for asymptomatic hypoglycaemia but other conventional risk factors for severe hypoglycaemia do not correlate with risk of asymptomatic episodes. What's new?: The existence of asymptomatic hypoglycaemia in Type 1 diabetes has been described previously but the epidemiology of these episodes has not been explored, thus rates of asymptomatic hypoglycaemia are unclear.This study reveals that asymptomatic hypoglycaemia constitutes the majority of hypoglycaemic episodes in Type 1 diabetes assessed by blinded CGM.Highlighting that self‐reported symptomatic hypoglycaemia comprises only a minor fraction of the total burden of hypoglycaemia in Type 1 diabetes; particularly, in individuals with impaired hypoglycaemia awareness.This study highlights the importance of the use of CGM in detecting asymptomatic episodes; particularly in individuals with impaired hypoglycaemia awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To assess the difference between analogue and human insulin with regard to nocturnal glucose profiles and risk of hypoglycaemia in people with recurrent severe hypoglycaemia. Methods A total of 72 people [46 men, mean ± sd age 54 ± 12 years, mean ± sd HbA1c 65 ± 12 mmol/mol (8.1 ± 1.1%), mean ± sd duration of diabetes 30 ± 14 years], who participated in a 2-year randomized, crossover trial of basal-bolus therapy with insulin detemir/insulin aspart or human NPH insulin/human regular insulin (the HypoAna trial) were studied for 2 nights during each treatment. Venous blood was drawn hourly during sleep. Primary endpoints were nocturnal glucose profiles and occurrence of hypoglycaemia (blood glucose ≤ 3.9 mmol/l). Results During insulin analogue treatment, the mean nocturnal plasma glucose level was significantly higher than during treatment with human insulin (10.6 vs 8.1 mmol/l). The fasting plasma glucose level was similar between the treatments. Nocturnal hypoglycaemia was registered during 41/101 nights (41%) in the human insulin arm and 19/117 nights (16%) in the insulin analogue arm, corresponding to a hazard ratio of 0.26 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.45; P < 0.0001) with insulin analogue. Conclusions Treatment with insulin analogue reduces the occurrence of nocturnal hypoglycaemia assessed by nocturnal glucose profiles in people with Type 1 diabetes prone to severe hypoglycaemia. Nocturnal glucose profiles provide a more comprehensive assessment of clinical benefit of insulin regimens as compared to conventional recording of hypoglycaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Sulphonylureas (SU) are currently recommended as a well-established second line treatment in guidelines for type 2 diabetes (T2DM). In the Capital Region of Denmark 16,865 patients were given SU as part of their treatment of T2DM in 2010-2011. To what extent SU are associated with hospitalizations due to severe hypoglycaemic episodes, defined as episodes with a need for external assistance, was investigated. The prevalence and characteristics of these patients and potential risk factors were studied.Methods: ICD-10 diagnosis codes were used to identify patients hospitalized due to hypoglycaemia and T2DM for a period of 2 years (2010-2011). Inclusion criteria were T2DM, hospitalization due to hypoglycaemia and treatment with SU as monotherapy or in combination with other glucose-lowering drugs except insulin treatment.Results: We identified 161 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Their mean age was 76 (53-97) years and 54% were males. Sixty percent of the patients had diabetic complications, including 19% with diabetic nephropathy. The major reason for severe hypoglycaemia was an unchanged dose of SU despite of a significant decline in food intake (45%). In 22% of the patients more than one reason was listed, most commonly a concomitant infection associated with decreased food intake and unchanged dose of SU.Conclusion: The incidence of hospital admission-requiring severe hypoglycaemia in patients treated with SU was 0.48 episodes per 100 patient-years of SU-treated patients. It was mainly older patients with diminished food intake, excessive alcohol use or other medications, concomitant infection, and with diabetic complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain-derived natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a cardioprotective peptide released, together with the inactive NH2-terminal part of its prohormone (NT-pro-BNP), in response to different kinds of myocardial stress. Hypoglycemia and hypoxemia are conditions that threaten cellular function and hence potentially stimulate BNP release. BNP interacts with the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). The aim of this study was, therefore, to explore if basal RAS activity has an impact on NT-pro-BNP concentrations during myocardial stress induced by hypoglycemia and hypoxemia. From a cohort of 303 healthy young men, 10 subjects with high-RAS activity and 10 subjects with low-RAS activity (age 26 ± 1 yr; mean ± SE) were studied in a single-blinded, randomized, counterbalanced, crossover study on three occasions separated by at least 3 wk: 1) hypoglycemia (mean nadir plasma glucose 2.7 ± 0.5 mmolIl), 2) hypoxemia (mean nadir Po2 5.8 ± 0.5 kPa), and 3) normoglycemic normoxia (control). NT-pro-BNP was measured at baseline, during the stimuli, and in the recovery phase. Hypoxemia was associated with a 9% increase in NT-pro-BNP from 2.2 ± 1.5 pmolIl at baseline to 2.4 ± 1.5 pmolIl during hypoxemia (P < 0.001). Hypoglycemia did not affect the NT-pro-BNP level. RAS activity had no impact on NT-pro-BNP levels during hypoglycemia and hypoxemia. Hypoxemia, but not hypoglycemia, stimulates NT-pro-BNP. This indicates that cardiac defense mechanisms against hypoglycemia, if any, are probably different from those against hypoxemia. Basal RAS activity had no impact on NT-pro-BNP levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Activity in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may influence the susceptibility to cardiac arrhythmia. To study the effect of basal RAS activity on cardiac repolarization during myocardial stress induced by hypoglycaemia or hypoxaemia in healthy humans. Methods and Results: Ten subjects with high RAS activity and 10 subjects with low RAS activity were studied on three different occasions: (i) hypoglycaemia (nadir P-glucose 2.7 +/- 0.5 mmol/L), (ii) hypoxaemia (nadir pO(2) 5.8 +/- 0.5 kPa), and (iii) normoglycaemic normoxia (control day). QT parameters were registered by Holter monitoring. Hypoglycaemia and hypoxaemia induced QTc prolongation (P < 0.001, both stimuli). The QT/RR slope and the VR increased as a function of hypoglycaemia, but were unaffected by hypoxaemia. Low RAS activity was associated with a steeper QT/RR slope in the recovery phase after both stimuli: hypoglycaemia: P = 0.04; hypoxia: P = 0.03. RAS activity had no impact on QTc [P = 0.48 (hypoglycaemia) and P = 0.40 (hypoxaemia)] or any of the other outcome variables. Conclusion: Basal RAS activity has significant impact on QT dynamics, but not the corrected QT interval, during recovery from hypoglycaemia and hypoxaemia. The impact, however, is modest and more subtle than initially expected. The clinical relevance is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: In pregnancy with type 1 diabetes, we evaluated occurrence of mild and severe hypoglycemia and analyzed the influence of strict metabolic control, nausea, vomiting, and other potential predictors of occurrence of severe hypoglycemia. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A prospective observational study of 108 consecutive pregnant women with type 1 diabetes was conducted. At 8, 14, 21, 27, and 33 weeks of gestation, patients performed self-monitored plasma glucose (SMPG) (eight/day) for 3 days and completed a questionnaire on nausea, vomiting, hypoglycemia awareness, and history of mild (managed by the patient) and severe (requiring assistance from others) hypoglycemia. RESULTS: Forty-nine (45%) women experienced 178 severe hypoglycemic events, corresponding to 5.3, 2.4, and 0.5 events/patient-year in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. The incidence of mild hypoglycemia was 5.5 events/patient-week in early pregnancy and decreased throughout pregnancy (P < 0.0001), regardless of presence of severe hypoglycemia. Prevalence of nausea and vomiting, mild hypoglycemia, and fraction of SMPG readings

The objective of the study was to evaluate differences in attitudes to diabetes and its management among diabetes health care professionals, and to evaluate whether these attitudes could be persistently modified by participation in courses in practical diabetology.The courses emphasize self-care, inter-disciplinary teamwork and applicability of acquired knowledge. Pre- and immediate post-course evaluation as well as a >/= 1 year post-course follow-up of attitudes to 12 general but central statements concerning diabetes and its management was performed for 144 participants (80 physicians, 52 nurses and 12 other team members) from 28 countries. Both pre- and post-course attitudes to the statements varied considerably even among experienced diabetes professionals. In general, a shift in attitudes in the intended direction was observed at the immediate post-course test. These changes were to a large extent maintained more than one year post-course although a large variability persisted. We conclude that international and inter-disciplinary education of health professionals is feasible and successful despite major linguistic and cultural barriers. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the cognitive function during hypoglycemia in type I diabetes mellitus. Measurement of mean blood glucose concentration; Evaluation of neuropsychological testing; Administration of insulin for the management of the disease.

The prevalence of nocturnal biochemical hypoglycaemia--that is, blood glucose concentrations below 3 retool/1 (55 rag/100 ml)--was evaluated in a random sample of 58 insulin dependent diabetics receiving twice daily insulin. Seventeen patients had at least one blood glucose value below 3 mmol/l (55 mg/100 ml) and five a value below 2 mmol/l (36 mg/100 ml) during the night. Both bedtime (2300) and fasting morning (0700) blood glucose concentrations were significantly lower in the group with nocturnal hypoglycaemia compared with the group without (p <0-00001). If the bedtime blood glucose concentration was below 6 mmol/l (108 mg/100 ml) the risk of nocturnal hypoglycaemia was 80% (95% confidence limits 51-96%). If the bedtime blood glucose concentration was above 6 mmol/l the likelihood of hypoglycaemia not occurring during the night was 88% (74-96%). The mean glycosylated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) concentration in the group with nocturnal biochemical hypoglycaemia (8⋅2 (range 5⋅0-12⋅4)%) was significantly lower than that in the group without (9⋅4(7⋅0-14⋅2)%) (p <0⋅02). The prevalence of nocturnal hypoglycaemia in the patients receiving twice daily insulin (29%) was compared with that in 15 patients receiving thrice daily insulin (47%) and was not found to be significantly different. The likelihood of this risk being greater with thrice daily insulin was, however, 88%. No patient with nocturnal biochemical hypoglycaemia woke up during the night with symptomatic hypoglycaemia. Nocturnal biochemical hypoglycaemia is common during twice daily treatment with insulin, and low values of HbA1c might be associated with a higher risk of such hypoglycaemia. The blood glucose concentration at bedtime is a significant predictor of nocturnal biochemical hypoglycaemia, and HbA1c values might be of help in identifying patients at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucose tolerance was evaluated in 356 living and dead patients with cystic fibrosis who were recorded at the Danish Cystic Fibrosis Centre. Twenty two patients (6%) were treated elsewhere, 25 (7%) were unable, unwilling or too young (age less than 2 years) to participate; 309 patients (87%) were therefore eligible for the study of whom 99 (32%) were dead and 210 (68%) were alive. Of the dead patients, 13 also had diabetes mellitus (13%). Of the living patients (median age 14 years, range 2-40), nine (4%) were known to have diabetes and all were being treated with insulin. In the remaining 201 patients an oral glucose tolerance test (1.75 g/kg body weight, maximum 75 g) was carried out. A total of 155 patients (74%) had normal glucose tolerance, 31 (15%) had impaired glucose tolerance, and 15 (7%) had diabetes mellitus according to the WHO criteria. The percentage of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (reference range 4.1-6.4%) increased significantly as glucose tolerance decreased: when glucose tolerance was normal the median was 5.2%; when it was impaired the figure was 5.5%; in patients whose diabetes was diagnosed by the oral glucose tolerance test it was 5.9%; and in patients already known to have diabetes mellitus it was 8.6%. The incidence and prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus increased with age. From the age of 15 to 30 years the decrease in the prevalence of normal glucose tolerance was almost linear. Within this age span the proportion of patients with cystic fibrosis with normal glucose tolerance was reduced by roughly 5%/year. Only 35% (95% confidence interval (CI) 22 to 48%) of the patients with cystic fibrosis who were alive at the age of 25 years had normal glucose tolerance; 32% (95% CI 14 to 49%) were diabetic. The prevalence of glucose intolerance in cystic fibrosis is rapidly increasing with age; its potentially harmful effect on the prognosis of cystic fibrosis is of increasing importance as the length of survival of these patients increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]