Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism (May 2017)

A study to evaluate the prevalence of impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia in adults with type 2 diabetes in outpatient clinic in a tertiary care centre in Singapore

  • Ling Zhu,
  • Li Chang Ang,
  • Wee Boon Tan,
  • Xiaohui Xin,
  • Yong Mong Bee,
  • Su-Yen Goh,
  • Ming Ming Teh

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/2042018817707422
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8

Abstract

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Background: Impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia (IAH) predisposes affected patients to severe hypoglycaemia. There are few data on prevalence of IAH in adults with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes in Asia. We aim to ascertain the prevalence of IAH among insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes in an outpatient clinic in a tertiary care centre in Singapore. Methods: A total of 374 patients with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes attending the outpatient diabetes clinic in a tertiary referral centre in Singapore were recruited over a 4-month period. Participants completed a questionnaire to document baseline characteristics and assess their hypoglycaemia awareness status, using a combination of the Clarke, Gold and Pedersen-Bjergaard methods. Results: Using the Clarke, Gold and Pedersen-Bjergaard methods, prevalence of IAH in our cohort was 9.6%, 13.4% and 33.2% respectively. Overall, 7.2% of participants suffered from severe hypoglycaemia in the preceding year. The IAH group had more episodes of severe hypoglycaemia across all three methods, compared with the normal awareness group ( p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in mean HbA1c, duration of diabetes and insulin treatment between the IAH and normal awareness groups. Conclusions: IAH is prevalent in adults with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes in Asia, and is associated with significantly increased risk of severe hypoglycaemia.