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Frequency of Hypoglycemia and Its Significance in Chronic Kidney Disease

Maureen F. Moen^*,, Min Zhan, Van Doren Hsu, Lori D. Walker, Lisa M. Einhorn^*,, Stephen L. Seliger^*,, and Jeffrey C. Fink^*,

Departments of ^* Medicine and Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, and Pharmaceutical Research Computing, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland

Correspondence: Dr. Jeffrey C. Fink, Room N3W143, 22 S. Greene Street, University of Maryland Medical System, Baltimore, MD 21201. Phone: 410-328-5720; Fax: 410-328-5685; E-mail: jfink{at}medicine.umaryland.edu

Background and objectives: This study set out to determine the incidence of hypoglycemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), with and without diabetes, and the association of hypoglycemia with mortality.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements: This was a retrospective cohort analysis of 243,222 patients who had 2,040,206 glucose measurements and were cared for at the Veterans Health Administration. CKD was defined as an estimated GFR of <60 ml/min per 1.73 m². Hypoglycemia was set at <70 mg/dl. Mortality was measured 1 day after glucose measurement.

Results: The incidence of hypoglycemia was higher in patients with CKD versus without CKD. Among patients with diabetes, the rate was 10.72 versus 5.33 per 100 patient-months and among patients without diabetes was 3.46 versus 2.23 per 100 patient-months, for CKD versus no CKD, respectively. The odds of 1-d mortality were increased at all levels of hypoglycemia but attenuated in CKD versus no CKD. Adjusted odds ratios for 1-d mortality that were associated with glucose values of <50, 50 to 59, and 60 to 69 mg/dl, respectively, versus glucose of 70 mg/dl were 6.09, 4.10, and 1.85 for inpatient records from patients with CKD; 9.95, 3.79, and 2.54 for inpatients records from patients without CKD; 6.84, 3.28, and 3.98 for outpatient records from patients with CKD; and 13.28, 7.36, and 4.34 for outpatient records from patients without CKD.

Conclusions: CKD is a risk for hypoglycemia, with or without diabetes. The excessive mortality associated with hypoglycemia makes this complication a significant threat to patient safety in CKD.