Hypoglycemia in Hospitalized Hemodialysis Patients With Diabetes: An Observational Study

Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia affect outcomes in hospitalized patient. Patients with diabetes and end stage renal disease are prone to hypoglycemia and few studies have evaluated glucometrics to identify the incidence and risk factors for hypoglycemia in this population.

We designed an observational retrospective review of 150 insulin requiring inpatients with diabetes receiving hemodialysis. We collected demographics, baseline characteristics, and glucometric data focusing on episodes of hypoglycemia with glucose cutoffs <70, <54, and <40 mg/dl. Detailed glucose and insulin data for 24 hours before and after hemodialysis was analyzed for each patient in context of a hypoglycemic episode. T-tests, one-way ANOVA, and chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis.

At least one glucose value less than 70 mg/dl was observed in 51% of hemodialysis patients, less than 54 mg/dl in 28%, and less than 40 mg/dl in 11%. Patients with hypoglycemia had a higher HbA1c, standard deviation of glucose ( P = .0009) and higher total daily dose (TDD) of insulin by weight (0.34 units/kg vs 0.23 units/kg, P = .003). We observed a linear increasing risk for hypoglycemia with increasing TDD, with nearly 65% of hypoglycemic episodes occurring with TDD >0.20 units/kg. A majority (61%) of all hypoglycemic episodes occurred in the 24 hours prior to a hemodialysis session. Type 1 diabetes was independently associated with hypoglycemia.

Hospitalized diabetes patients undergoing hemodialysis were found to have high rates of hypoglycemia. Our results support using a lower TDD of insulin in this population (<0.23 units/kg/day) and recommend special caution in those with type 1 diabetes.