Mario Hensel1, Markus Stuhr2, Daniel Geppert3, Jan Felix Kersten4, Jürgen Lorenz5, Thoralf Kerner6. 1. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Park-Klinik-Weissensee, Schönstrasse 80, 13086 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: hensel@park-klinik.com. 2. Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Pain Medicine, BG Klinikum, Bergedorfer Strasse 10, 21033 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: m.stuhr@buk-hamburg.de. 3. Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Pain Therapy, Asklepios Klinik Nord Heidberg, Tangstedter Landstrasse 400, 22417 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: dg-hh@freenet.de. 4. Competence Center for Healthcare Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: j.kersten@uke.de. 5. Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Medical Engineering, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Lohbrügger Kirchstrasse 65, 21033 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: juergen.lorenz@haw-hamburg.de. 6. Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Pain Therapy, Asklepios Klinikum Harburg, Eißendorfer Pferdeweg 52, 21075 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: t.kerner@asklepios.com.
Abstract
AIMS: To determine the association between ambient temperature and severe hypoglycemia. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study performed in a prehospital setting. Data from the Emergency Medical Service in Hamburg (Germany) and data from the local weather station were evaluated over a 5-year period. Lowess-regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between ambient temperature and frequency of severe hypoglycemia. Additionally, three temperature-ranges were defined in order to compare them with each other with regard to frequency of severe hypoglycemia (<10°C vs. 10-20°C vs. >20°C). RESULTS: In 2592 patients severe hypoglycemia was diagnosed and treated by emergency physicians (T1DM: n=829/32%; T2DM: n=1763/68%). The median age of patients was 64 (57-72 [20-85]) years. Compared to mild temperatures (10-20°C) the frequency of severe hypoglycemia increased significantly at temperatures above 20°C (+18% (95%-CI: [7%; 22%], p=0.007) and below 10°C (+15% (95%-CI: [6%; 24%], p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest the existence of a "thermal comfort zone" covering a temperature range from 10 to 20°C in which the frequency of severe hypoglycemia was significantly lower than below 10°C and above 20°C.
AIMS: To determine the association between ambient temperature and severe hypoglycemia. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study performed in a prehospital setting. Data from the Emergency Medical Service in Hamburg (Germany) and data from the local weather station were evaluated over a 5-year period. Lowess-regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between ambient temperature and frequency of severe hypoglycemia. Additionally, three temperature-ranges were defined in order to compare them with each other with regard to frequency of severe hypoglycemia (<10°C vs. 10-20°C vs. >20°C). RESULTS: In 2592 patients severe hypoglycemia was diagnosed and treated by emergency physicians (T1DM: n=829/32%; T2DM: n=1763/68%). The median age of patients was 64 (57-72 [20-85]) years. Compared to mild temperatures (10-20°C) the frequency of severe hypoglycemia increased significantly at temperatures above 20°C (+18% (95%-CI: [7%; 22%], p=0.007) and below 10°C (+15% (95%-CI: [6%; 24%], p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest the existence of a "thermal comfort zone" covering a temperature range from 10 to 20°C in which the frequency of severe hypoglycemia was significantly lower than below 10°C and above 20°C.