3-OR: Severe Hypoglycemia among Older Adults with Diabetes (iNPHORM, USA)

Despite an aging US diabetes population, little is known about the real-world frequency of iatrogenic severe hypoglycemia (SH) among older adults. We analyzed iNPHORM data to address this gap. People ≥60-year-old with T1DM or T2DM on insulin and/or secretagogues were recruited from a probability-based internet panel. Data on SH were obtained via a screener, baseline, and 12 monthly follow-ups. Crude SH incidence rates (IRs) and proportions (IPs) were calculated overall, and by diabetes type, medication type, and mode of SH recovery. N=307 were analyzed (T1DM: 8.5%; age: 67.5 [SD:5.5] years; male: 54.1%; retention rate: 81.8%). Among T2DM respondents, 39.9% used insulin without secretagogues, 50.2% secretagogues without insulin, and 10.0% insulin and secretagogues. The overall IP of SH was 19.9 (95%CI: 15.8-24.7)%, and the IR was 0.89 (95%CI: 0.62-1.27) events per person-year (EPPY). People with T1DM had a higher total IP (42.3 [95%CI: 25.5-61.1]%) and IR (2.07 [95%CI: 0.98-4.38] EPPY) than those with T2DM (IP: 17.8 [95%CI: 13.8-22.7]%; IR: 0.78 [95%CI: 0.52-1.15] EPPY), including insulin without secretagogue users (1.09 [95%CI: 0.66-1.80] vs. 0.61 [95%CI: 0.26 to 1.45] [insulin with secretagogues] and 0.50 [95%CI: 0.23 to 1.05] [secretagogues without insulin] EPPY). Emergency care and hospitalization constituted 3.6% (T1DM: 0%; T2DM: 6.7%) and 1.8% (T1DM: 0%; T2DM: 2.2%) of SH (n=224), respectively. Paramedical/hospital-based SH was more common in T2DM (0.06 [95%CI: 0.02-0.19]) than T1DM (0 EPPY) with IRs highest among insulin without secretagogue users (0.11 [95%CI: 0.03-0.47] EPPY). This is the first US prospective study on SH frequency in older adults with diabetes. Most (96.4%) events occurred at-home, underscoring the need for self-reported SH capture. Overall IPs and IRs were greater in T1DM than T2DM; but those with T2DM had more healthcare-based events. To mitigate undue health and economic costs, it is imperative clinicians remain vigilant to preventing SH in this vulnerable and growing population.