Baseline characteristics of study population
| All patients | Nonhypoglycaemic≥4.4 mmol·L−1 (≥79.0 mg·dL−1) | Hypoglycaemic<4.4 mmol·L−1 (<79.0 mg·dL−1) | p-value# | Admission glucose | ||||
| Subdivisions of hypoglycaemic group | p-value¶ | |||||||
| Mild3.9–4.39mmol·L−1 (70–78.9mg·dL−1) | Moderate3.4–3.89mmol·L−1 (61–69.9 mg·dL−1) | Severe<3.4 mmol·L−1 (<61.0 mg·dL−1) | ||||||
| Subjects n | 1050 | 993 | 57 | 33 | 13 | 11 | ||
| Males | 49.7 | 50.2 | 42.1 | 0.28 | 54.5 | 23.1 | 27.3 | 0.081 |
| Age yrs | 67 (51–78) | 67 (51–78) | 62 (52–75) | 0.13 | 58 (56–64) | 58 (49–68) | 76 (50–79) | 0.24 |
| Congestive cardiac failure | 19.2 | 19.5 | 14.0 | 0.39 | 12.1 | 15.4 | 18.2 | 0.87 |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 10.9 | 11.0 | 8.7 | 0.83 | 9.1 | 7.7 | 9.1 | 0.99 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 10.1 | 10.2 | 8.7 | 0.83 | 12.1 | 7.7 | 0 | 0.46 |
| Chronic renal impairment | 5.6 | 5.4 | 8.7 | 0.25 | 9.1 | 7.7 | 9.1 | 0.99 |
| Chronic liver disease | 5.0 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 0.76 | 3.0 | 15.4 | 0 | 0.16 |
| COPD | 20.2 | 20.4 | 15.8 | 0.50 | 15.2 | 23.1 | 9.1 | 0.64 |
| Confusion | 13.7 | 12.9 | 28.1 | 0.001 | 15.2 | 38.5 | 54.5 | 0.03 |
| Temperature <35°C or >40°C | 2.2 | 2.1 | 3.5 | 0.48 | 0 | 0 | 18.2 | 0.013 |
| Cardiac frequency >125 beats·min−1 | 13.3 | 12.4 | 29.8 | <0.0001 | 12.1 | 46.2 | 63.6 | 0.002 |
| Respiratory frequency >30 breaths·min−1 | 36.0 | 35.3 | 47.4 | 0.066 | 48.5 | 61.5 | 27.3 | 0.24 |
| Haematocrit <30% | 4.3 | 4.4 | 1.8 | 0.33 | 0 | 0 | 9.1 | 0.12 |
| Systolic BP <90mmHg | 11.4 | 10.8 | 22.8 | 0.005 | 12.1 | 38.5 | 36.4 | 0.08 |
| pH <7.35 | 13.0 | 12.0 | 31.6 | <0.0001 | 24.2 | 23.1 | 63.6 | 0.04 |
| Blood urea >10.7 mmol·L−1 | 20.5 | 19.1 | 43.9 | <0.0001 | 39.4 | 46.2 | 54.5 | 0.70 |
| Sodium <130 mEq·L−1 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 14.0 | 0.16 | 9.1 | 30.8 | 9.1 | 0.14 |
| Pa,O2 >60 mmHg | 40.6 | 40.1 | 49.1 | 0.18 | 36.4 | 61.5 | 72.7 | 0.067 |
| Statin use | 24.0 | 24.6 | 14.0 | 0.07 | 21.2 | 0 | 9.1 | 0.15 |
| Oral hypoglycaemic use | 4.8 | 4.9 | 1.8 | 0.27 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 0.74 |
| PSI risk class >3 | 44.9 | 43.5 | 64.9 | 0.002 | 57.6 | 76.9 | 72.7 | 0.39 |
| CURB65 ≥3 | 32.1 | 30.8 | 52.6 | 0.001 | 39.4 | 76.9 | 63.6 | 0.052 |
Data presented as median (interquartile range) or %, unless otherwise stated. COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; BP: blood pressure; Pa,O2: arterial oxygen tension; PSI: Pneumonia Severity Index; CURB65: confusion, urea level >7 mmol·L−1, respiratory frequency ≥30 breaths·min−1; blood pressure (systolic <90 mmHg or diastolic ≤60 mmHg), aged ≥65 yrs. #: compares hypoglycaemic patients with nonhypoglycaemic; ¶: compares subdivisions of hypoglycaemic group.