Silent Hypoglycemia in Patients with Diabetes

Abstract Introduction. Iatrogenic hypoglycemia increases cardiovascular morbidity sometimes even with fatalities, and also increases cognitive disorders in most people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Hypoglycemia is characterized by unawareness if the sympathoadrenal response is attenuated during the night, in autonomic neuropathy or in elderly patients. Therefore, hypoglycemia is a limiting factor in the glycemic management of diabetes. Methods. We aimed to analyze the hypoglycemic events and the time spent with low glucose level (glucose <3.9 mmol/l) in patients with diabetes (T1D, T2D) with insulin therapy (basal or basal-bolus), in ambulatory or hospital setting. The glucose variability was assessed via the interstitial glucose concentration, measured with a Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) system over 72 hours. Results. The incidence, severity and duration of hypoglycemia are not correlated with HbA1c, disease’s duration and patient’s age. In patients with T1D, severe hypoglycemia is more frequent in patients with a long duration of diabetes. In this analysis, the type of basal analog insulin did not influence the presence of hypoglycemia (p=0.7), but the duration of nocturnal hypoglycemia was longer with insulin glargine U100 than with insulin detemir. The basal regimen is more protective for hypoglycemia than basal-bolus insulin. Conclusions. The study suggested that hypoglycemic events are common, silent and prolonged in 1/3 of patients with T1D and T2D. The CGM system is beneficial for all patients with T1D and for patients with T2D with hypoglycemic risk and complications, to adjust medication in order to prevent cardiovascular events.