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Autonomic dysfunction, neuropathy not linked to impaired hypoglycemia awareness
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Among adults with longstanding type 1 diabetes, those with impaired hypoglycemia awareness showed no differences in autonomic function, clinical pain measurement or neuropathy measures when compared with those with normal hypoglycemia awareness, according to research in Diabetes Care.
Sandra E. Olsen, MD, of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway, and colleagues analyzed data from 66 adults with type 1 diabetes, identified through a cross-sectional survey of outpatients at St. Olavs Hospital in Norway. Within the cohort, 33 had impaired hypoglycemia awareness, defined as a score of 4 or greater on the Gold questionnaire (mean age, 48 years; mean diabetes duration, 30 years; mean HbA1c, 7.8%); 33 had normal hypoglycemia awareness, defined as a Gold score between 1 and 2 (mean age, 47 years; mean diabetes duration, 31 years; mean HbA1c, 8.1%). Participants were matched for age, sex and diabetes duration; those with a Gold score of 3 were not included for analysis. Researchers evaluated participant performance on autonomic function tests, peripheral nerve conduction tests and quantitative sensory testing. Composite abnormality z scores were used for group comparisons.
Researchers found that the autonomic composite z score did not differ between participants with impaired hypoglycemia awareness and those with normal awareness (mean difference, – 0.15; 95% CI, –0.46 to 0.16). No significant between-group differences were found for thermal detection (mean difference, 0.15; 95% CI, –0.31 to 0.61) or nerve conduction scores (mean difference, 0.03; 95% CI, – 0.43 to 0.49). – by Regina Schaffer
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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