Patients with
diabetic kidney disease (DKD) are at higher risk of
hypoglycemia than diabetic patients without DKD. We aimed to investigate the temporal trends of severe
hypoglycemia in advanced DKD patients transitioning to dialysis and examine risk factors associated with severe
hypoglycemia. We also investigated the association of severe
hypoglycemia episodes with one-year mortality after initiation of dialysis in patients with advanced DKD.
METHODS: Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, 46,779 advanced DKD patients transitioning to
dialysis (Peritoneal dialysis 4216,
hemodialysis 42,563) between 1997 and 2011 were enrolled. We calculated the rates of severe
hypoglycemia from 5 years before dialysis until 10 years after dialysis. Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine the risk factors of post
end stage renal disease (
ESRD) one-year
hypoglycemia and post
ESRD one-year mortality in advanced DKD patients transitioning to dialysis.
RESULTS: We found that 11.5% of advanced DKD patients had at least one episode of severe
hypoglycemia the year leading up to dialysis initiation. Multivariate analysis revealed
hemodialysis compared with
peritoneal dialysis,
stroke, use of sulfonylurea, glinide, and
insulin were associated with higher risk of severe
hypoglycemia one year after transitioning to dialysis. Increased frequency of severe
hypoglycemia-related hospitalizations was associated with incrementally higher mortality risk one year after transitioning to dialysis (Pre-
ESRD hypoglycemia: Hazard ratios: 1.28 (1.18⁻1.38, p < 0.001), 1.64 (1.49⁻1.81, p < 0.001) for one, two
hypoglycemia-related hospitalizations, respectively; post-
ESRD hypoglycemia: HRs of 1.56 (1.40⁻1.73, p < 0.001), 1.72 (1.39⁻2.12, p < 0.001) for one, two
hypoglycemia-related hospitalizations, respectively (reference group: no
hypoglycemia related hospitalization)).
CONCLUSIONS: Among advanced DKD patients, we observed a progressive elevated risk of
hypoglycemia during the critical dialysis transition period. Increased frequency of severe
hypoglycemia-related hospitalizations was associated with higher mortality risk one year after transitioning to dialysis. Further study of glycemic management strategies which prevent
hypoglycemia during the critical transition period are warranted.