Is Stress Hyperglycemia a Predicting Factor of Developing Diabetes in Future?

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Metabolic Disorders
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Stress hyperglycemia, a transient increase in blood glucose during acute physiological stress, occurs in conditions like trauma, burns, sepsis, and strokes.
• It is crucial to understand its incidence and long-term implications, particularly regarding diabetes development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the incidence of stress hyperglycemia in patients admitted to Firouzgar hospital.
• To assess the predictive value of stress hyperglycemia for the development of diabetes mellitus.

Main Methods:

• An analytical cross-sectional study involving 98 patients admitted for trauma, myocardial infarction, subarachnoid hemorrhage, head trauma, sepsis, CVA, or abdominal surgery.
• Blood glucose tests (random blood sugar and HbA1C) were performed on admission. Patients with BS > 180 mg/dL and no prior diabetes history were enrolled.
• Follow-up evaluation for diabetes mellitus after 3 months included fasting blood sugar, HbA1C, and post-glucose load blood sugar tests.

Main Results:

• A total of 98 patients (67 males, 31 females) were included. No significant relation was found between HbA1C at 3 months and the background event, or between BMI and developing diabetes.
• 26.8% of participants developed diabetes, and 25.8% were in a pre-diabetic state.
• A statistically significant relationship was observed between gender and developing diabetes (P=0.027), with men developing diabetes more frequently than women. The Odds Ratio was 1.017.

Conclusions:

• Stress hyperglycemia is significantly associated with the subsequent development of diabetes mellitus.
• Stress hyperglycemia can serve as a predictive factor for identifying individuals at higher risk of developing diabetes.