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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2022; 130(03): 145-155
DOI: 10.1055/a-1310-7963
Article

Conversations and Reactions Around Severe Hypoglycaemia (CRASH): Results from the German Cohort of a Global Survey of People with Type 1 Diabetes or Insulin-Treated Type 2 Diabetes and Caregivers

Elisabeth Mönnig
1   Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Bad Homburg, Germany
,
Erik Spaepen
2   HaaPACS GmbH, Schriesheim, Germany
,
Beatrice Osumili
1   Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Bad Homburg, Germany
,
Beth D. Mitchell
1   Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Bad Homburg, Germany
,
Frank Snoek
3   Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
,
Mark Peyrot
4   Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
,
Werner Kern
5   Endokrinologikum Ulm, Ulm, Germany
,
Andreas Holstein
6   Klinikum Lippe GmbH, Detmold, Germany
› Author Affiliations Funding: This work was supported by Eli Lilly and Company. Eli Lilly and Company were also involved in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data, the writing of the report, and the decision to submit the article for publication.
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Abstract

Background A global cross-sectional survey (CRASH) was designed to provide information about the experiences of people with diabetes (PWD) and their caregivers in relation to severe hypoglycaemic events.

Methods Adults with type 1 diabetes or insulin-treated type 2 diabetes who had experienced one or more severe hypoglycaemic events within the past 3 years, and adult caregivers for such people, were recruited from medical research panels using purposive sampling. We present here results from Germany.

Results Approximately 100 individuals in each of the four participant groups completed a 30-minute online survey. Survey results indicated that the most recent severe hypoglycaemic event made many participants feel scared (80.4%), unprepared (70.4%), and/or helpless (66.5%). Severe hypoglycaemia was discussed by healthcare professionals at every visit with only 20.2% of participants who had ever had this conversation, and 53.5% of participants indicated that their insulin regimen had not changed following their most recent event. 37.1% of PWD/people with diabetes cared for by caregivers owned a glucagon kit at the time of survey completion.

Conclusions The survey identified areas for improvement in the prevention and management of severe hypoglycaemic events. For healthcare professionals, these include enquiring more frequently about severe hypoglycaemia and adjusting blood glucose-lowering medication after a severe hypoglycaemic event. For individuals with diabetes and their caregivers, potential improvements include ensuring availability of glucagon at all times. Changes in these areas could lead not only to improved patient wellbeing but also to reduced use of emergency services/hospitalisation and, consequently, lower healthcare costs.

Key words

diabetes - emergency - glucagon - psychosocial - real-world

Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 09 June 2020
Received: 03 November 2020

Accepted: 10 November 2020

Article published online:
23 December 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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