Undetected hyperglycaemia among hospital in-patients.

To assess the prevalence of previously undiagnosed hyperglycaemia consistent with a diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus in a consecutive series of hospital in-patients. Retrospective case note review. University Teaching Hospital. 800 consecutive hospitalised patients aged over 50 years. The main outcome measures the prevalence of hyperglycaemia [corrected]. We searched the biochemistry laboratory computerised database for results of all biochemistry tests carried out during each patient's admission. The medical records of those with at least one plasma glucose value in the hyperglycaemic range (glucose > or =11.1 mmol/l and/or > or =7.0 mmol/l on casual and/or fasting measurements respectively) were reviewed by two observers using a standardised method and a check list for data collection.