title: Glucagon underutilized among type 1 diabetes mellitus patients in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Glucagon is recommended to treat severe hypoglycemia in nonhospital environments, when a patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is unconscious and unable to eat or drink. However, the actual possession rate of glucagon in Japan has not been investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 208 T1DM patients older than 15 years of age. The patients were treated at 16 hospitals and clinics in different regions of Japan. Answers were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire about the possession, the experience of usage, and the preference to possess glucagon after reading what is glucagon and when it is used. A stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the influence of various factors on the possession of glucagon.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The possession rate of glucagon was 15.9%, and the rate of those who had experience of using glucagon to treat severe hypoglycemia was 6.0%. The rate of preference to possess glucagon at home after reading the description of glucagon was 39.0%. The possession of glucagon was significantly associated with results of the Glucagon Knowledge Test (odds ratio=24.1; 95% confidence interval, 3.2-183.3; P=0.002) and the history of severe hypoglycemia within 1 year (odds ratio=4.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.0-12.0; P=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Glucagon as a measure to treat severe hypoglycemia was underutilized among T1DM patients in Japan.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center, National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center, Kyoto 612-8555, Japan. murata-tky@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yanagisawa
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Nobuichi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kuribayashi
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Totsuka
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hiyoshi
authors.forename: Motoji
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naka
authors.forename: Masatake
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waki
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furuya
authors.forename: Haruko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kitaoka
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oishi
authors.forename: Ikki
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyaoka
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005934:Glucagon / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D005934:Glucagon