Introduction & Objective: While research links acute hyperglycemia to adverse hospitalization outcomes, post-discharge implications are unclear. We examined the association between acute hyperglycemia during hospitalization and incident cardiovascular health outcomes post-discharge using a large-scale EHR database.
Methods: Using data from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative, we analyzed 5174261 patients in the U.S. with hospital admission between March 1, 2020, and March 1, 2022. Acute hyperglycemia was defined as blood glucose levels exceeding 140 to 180 mg/dL in patients without a pre-existing diabetes diagnosis. Outcomes were defined as physician-diagnosed cerebrovascular disorders, dysrhythmias, inflammatory heart disease, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and thrombotic disorders ascertained more than 30 d after discharge until end of follow-up on January 31, 2024. HRs were analyzed by Cox regression, adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, hypertension, obesity, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, and cardiovascular medication use.
Results & Conclusion: Individuals with acute hyperglycemia during hospitalization faced a higher risk of incident cardiovascular disease (Figure). Those experiencing acute hyperglycemia during hospitalization may benefit from longer-term follow-up focusing on cardiovascular health.
M.P. Santos: None. S.H. Ley: None.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (T32HL158290).
