Hypoglycemia in Non-Diabetic In-Patients: Clinical or Criminal?

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We wished to establish the frequency of unexpected hypoglycemia observed in non diabetic patients outside the intensive care unit and to determine if they have a plausible clinical explanation. METHODS: We analysed data for 2010 from three distinct sources to identify non diabetic hypoglycaemic patients: bedside and laboratory blood glucose measurements; medication records for those treatments (high-strength glucose solution and glucagon) commonly given to reverse hypoglycemia; and diagnostic codes for hypoglycemia. We excluded from the denominator admissions of patients with a diagnosis of diabetes or prescribed diabetic medication. Case notes of patients identified were reviewed. We used capture-recapture methods to establish the likely frequency of hypoglycemia in non-diabetic in-patients outside intensive care unit at different cut-off points for hypoglycemia. We also recorded co-morbidities that might have given rise to hypoglycemia. RESULTS: Among the 37,898 admissions, the triggers identified 71 hypoglycaemic episodes at a cut-off of 3.3 mmol/l. Estimated frequency at 3.3 mmol/l was 50(CI 33-93), at 3.0 mmol/l, 36(CI 24-64), at 2.7 mmol/l, 13(CI 11-19), at 2.5 mmol/l, 11(CI 9-15) and at 2.2 mmol/l, 8(CI 7-11) per 10,000 admissions. Admissions of patients aged above 65 years were approximately 50% more likely to have an episode of hypoglycemia. Most were associated with important co-morbidities. CONCLUSION: Significant non-diabetic hypoglycemia in hospital in-patients (at or below 2.7 mmol/l) outside critical care is rare. It is sufficiently rare for occurrences to merit case-note review and diagnostic blood tests, unless an obvious explanation is found

Functional outcome, mortality and in-hospital complications of operative treatment in elderly patients with hip fractures in the developing world

Hip fracture has been increasing in frequency for several decades, and 70–90% of patients who sustain a hip fracture survive for at least one year. Many of these survivors fail to regain their prefracture functional status. No work in this regard has been done in the developing world. Elderly patients with acute intertrochanteric fracture and fracture of the femoral neck were followed up prospectively for 12 months after surgery to record the mortality, morbidity, functional status and complications. Three hundred and forty-five patients (61% female) were assessed at six and 12 months after surgery, which included 62.9% intertrochanteric fractures and 37% femoral neck fractures. The mechanism of injury was from a fall in 67% of the cases. Nineteen patients died within six months after surgery while another eight died during the next six months. Obesity, male gender, multiple comorbidities and below normal ambulation status before fracture were identified as major determinants of bad functional outcome

Personal and psychosocial impacts of clinical fracture in men

Background : Little is known about the personal burden of fracture across the age spectrum, particularly in men. This study aimed to document the impact of clinical fracture on men\u27s participation in employment, sports and outdoor recreation, mobility, handiwork, activities of daily living, home modification, and utilisation of community and health services.Methods : This prospective study followed 196 men with incident fracture identified from radiology reports at the Geelong Hospital during the period July 2006 to December 2007 and examined personal and psychosocial impacts 12 months post-fracture, using a self-report questionnaire.Results : Of all men identified with fracture, 40% took time off work. All fractures, except those to the upper limbs, had considerable impact on mobility. Inability to drive was associated with all fractures, but was most common with ankle fractures and most prolonged with hip fractures. Loss of confidence was reported by over one-third of all fracture cases, even 12 months after the fracture event. All fractures affected activities of daily living, and this was generally most prolonged for fractures of the hip. Similarly, all men with fracture utilised community and health services, even for the relatively minor fractures of the finger/thumb.Conclusions : This study supports previous reports of the personal impact of hip fracture, and presents data about the consequences of upper and lower limb fractures and the generally poorly described sequelae of fractures of the finger/thumb and foot/toe. These observations have important implications for post-fracture care and rehabilitation in men