Risk of Hospitalization in Diabetic Patients with Severe Hypoglycemia: A Single-Center Study

Background: Severe hypoglycemia is defined as having low blood glucose levels that requires assistance from another person to treat. Severe hypoglycemia is classed as a diabetic emergency and is a complication that can occur in people with diabetes that take insulin and certain anti-diabetic drugs. The aim of our study was to evaluate the risk factors associated with hospitalization. Methods: The study was retrospectively conducted on the clinical records of adults with severe hypoglycemia who were admitted consecutively to the Emergency Department (ED) of the Carlo Poma Hospital from January 2021 to December 2021. Results: Overall, 50 patients were identified and most of these were elderly and had multiple comorbidities. They were treated with oral hypoglycemic drugs such as sulfonylureas or glinides (42%), insulin (46%) or both (6%). Hospitalization rates and in-hospital deaths occurred in 62% and in 4% of patients, respectively. No risk factors were statistically significantly correlated with hospitalizations. Most of these were needed for the frailty of the elderly diabetic patients and their comorbidities, rather than the episode of severe hypoglycemia. Conclusions: In our study, episodes of severe hypoglycemia can be a sign of the frailty of older diabetic patients and poor home care, who often require hospitalization.