Use of Healthcare Services Following Severe Hypoglycemia in Patients with Diabetes: Analysis of Real-World Data

Introduction Severe hypoglycemia is a burden for both patients and the healthcare system payer alike. This study aimed to quantify the resource use associated with a severe hypoglycemic event (SHE) in patients with diabetes. Methods This retrospective cohort study compared resource use (e.g., physician visits, hospitalizations, and medications) 1 month pre- and post-SHE among patients with type 1 (T1D) or type 2 diabetes (T2D) from a large not-for-profit healthcare provider. Results From 2005 to 2014, 284 patients with T1D (52.5% male, mean age 29.8 years, mean HbA 1c 7.9%) and 3691 patients with T2D (47.6% male, mean age 67.1 years, mean HbA 1c 7.3%) were eligible for inclusion in the study. In total, 95.4% of patients with T1D and 32.8% of patients with T2D were insulin treated, while 3.5% of patients with T1D and 70.4% of patients with T2D were treated with oral drugs that could cause hypoglycemia (sulfonylureas or meglitinides). Hospital admissions increased by 95% in T1D and 127% in T2D ( P