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Hypoglycemia in non-diabetic in-patients at a teaching referral hospital in Iran

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate comorbidities, clinical features, laboratory values, and diagnoses in non-diabetic patients experiencing hypoglycemic episodes.

Methods

A retrospective observational study was conducted at Shariati Hospital in Iran from 2016 to 2023. Seventy-four non-diabetic patients admitted with a diagnosis of hypoglycemia were included, while patients with diabetes were excluded. Demographic data, symptoms, and biochemical assessments were obtained from the hospital information system. Hypoglycemic episodes were identified based on low measured blood glucose, recorded medications for hypoglycemia treatment, or recorded codes indicating hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia was defined as blood glucose below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) along with two other criteria of the Whipple triad. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 26).

Results

Among the enrolled patients, 63.5% were female, and 13.5% were elderly (≥ 65 years). The most common comorbidities observed were cardiovascular disease (20.3%), psychological disorders (20.3%), hypothyroidism (14.9%), and hypertension (8.1%). The prevalent symptoms included weakness, loss of consciousness, sweating, palpitations, dizziness, and tremors. Non-diabetic hypoglycemia was caused by factitious disorders, insulinoma, organ failure, and infection, respectively.

Conclusion

Due to the diverse range of clinical symptoms, hypoglycemia in non-diabetic patients may be diagnosed late, leading to misdiagnoses such as psychological disorders or seizures. It is crucial to consider the possibility of hypoglycemia in non-diabetic patients and determine its underlying cause. Given the poor prognosis associated with hypoglycemia, timely interventions are essential.

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Funding

No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Fateme Ziamanesh, Shahrzad Mohseni, Mahnaz Pejman Sani, Mohammad Reza Mohajeri-Tehrani & Bagher Larijani

  2. British Columbia Institute of Technology Vancouver, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Hoda Rashidian

  3. School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Ghazal Behzad

  4. Elderly Health Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mahbube Ebrahimpur

  5. Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Moloud Payab

  6. Fellowship, Department of Nephrology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Milad Fooladgar

Authors
  1. Fateme Ziamanesh
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  2. Hoda Rashidian
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  3. Shahrzad Mohseni
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  4. Ghazal Behzad
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  5. Mahbube Ebrahimpur
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  6. Mahnaz Pejman Sani
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  7. Moloud Payab
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  8. Milad Fooladgar
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  9. Mohammad Reza Mohajeri-Tehrani
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  10. Bagher Larijani
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Mahbube Ebrahimpur or Mohammad Reza Mohajeri-Tehrani.

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Declarations

This research was in compliance with ethical standards. The Medical Research Ethics Committee of the Shariati Hospital granted ethical approval for this study.

Competing interests

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

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Ziamanesh, F., Rashidian, H., Mohseni, S. et al. Hypoglycemia in non-diabetic in-patients at a teaching referral hospital in Iran. J Diabetes Metab Disord (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-023-01346-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-023-01346-7

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