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Updated: May 6, 2026

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Published on: June 11, 2012
Predictors of hypoglycaemia in insulin-treated type 2 diabetes patients in primary care: a retrospective database
Karel Kostev1, Franz-Werner Dippel2, Wolfgang Rathmann3
1IMS HEALTH, Frankfurt, Germany.
Aims:
To investigate the frequency and predictors (diabetes care and treatment, comorbidity) of documented hypoglycaemia in primary care patients with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes.
Methods:
Data from 32,545 patients (mean age: 70 (SD 11) years, 50.3% males) from 1072 practices were retrospectively analyzed (Disease Analyzer database Germany: 09/2011-08/2012). Logistic regression (≥1 documented hypoglyemia) was used to adjust for confounders (age, sex, practice characteristics, diabetes treatment regimen).
Results:
The prevalence of patients (12 months) with at least one reported hypoglycaemia was 2.2% (95% CI: 2.0-2.4%). The adjusted odds of having hypoglycemia were increased for renal failure (OR; 95% CI: 1.26; 1.16-1.37), autonomic neuropathy (1.34; 1.20-1.49), and adrenocortical insufficiency (3.08; 1.35-7.05). Patients with mental disorders including dementia (1.49; 1.31-1.69), depression (1.24; 1.13-1.35), anxiety (1.18; 1.01-1.37), and affective disorders (1.80; 1.36-2.38) also showed an increased odds of having hypoglycemia. Location of the practice in an urban area was associated with a lower odds ratio (0.74; 0.68-0.80).
Conclusions:
Both individual patient characteristics (e.g. comorbidity) and regional factors (practice location) have a substantial impact on hypoglycaemia in primary care patients with insulin therapy.
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