Increasing trend in emergency department visits for hypoglycemia from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
We analyze the time trends of hypoglycemia-related emergency department visits in Taiwan between 2000 and 2010, focusing on type 2 diabetic patients receiving antidiabetic agents.


METHODS
From a national dataset containing longitudinal medical claims of one million persons, we ascertained 4479 hypoglycemia-related emergency department visits from 3184 type 2 diabetic patients for analysis. We used negative binomial regression to calculate the incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for comparing event rates of hypoglycemia-related emergency department visits in different study periods.


RESULTS
Rates of hypoglycemia-related emergency department visits increased 4.8 folds from year 2000 to 2010 (adjusted IRR 4.88, 95% CI 3.94-6.05, P<0.001). Severe hypoglycemia requiring emergency department visits prevailed among women, older patients (≥ 65 years), and those not lived in the urban areas.


CONCLUSIONS
Within a 10-year period, there was a substantial increase in the rates of hypoglycemia-related emergency department visits from type 2 diabetic patients in Taiwan. Appropriate risk management plans should be developed to prevent the occurrence of severe hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes in Taiwan.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Ying-Ju
YJ
Chen
Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Clinical Toxicology & Occupational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chen-Chang
CC
Yang
Division of Preventive Medicine and Health Services Research, Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan.
Lynn-Chu
LC
Huang
Division of Preventive Medicine and Health Services Research, Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan.
Likwang
L
Chen
Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Faculty of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: chhwu@vghtpe.gov.tw.
Chii-Min
CM
Hwu
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents
Emergency department; Hypoglycemia; Incidence; Type 2 diabetes