Table 1 Characteristics of the diabetic adult population residing in the Health Agency of Milan, 2015–17
Characteristic | Total (N = 168,285) | One or more attendance to the ED for acute glycemic events | P valueb | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No (N = 165,121) | Yes (N = 3164) | ||||
Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | % of total | ||
Gender |  |  |  |  | < 0.001 |
 Female | 73,715 (43.8) | 72,182 (43.7) | 1533 (48.5) | 2.1 |  |
 Male | 94,570 (56.2) | 92,939 (56.3) | 1631 (51.5) | 1.7 |  |
Age class (years) |  |  |  |  | < 0.001 |
  ≤ 44 | 8683 (5.2) | 8407 (5.1) | 276 (8.7) | 3.2 |  |
 45–54 | 16,298 (9.7) | 16,025 (9.7) | 273 (8.6) | 1.7 |  |
 55–64 | 32,210 (19.1) | 31,827 (19.3) | 383 (12.1) | 1.2 |  |
 65–74 | 51,056 (30.3) | 50,412 (30.5) | 644 (20.4) | 1.3 |  |
  ≥ 75 | 60,038 (35.7) | 58,450 (35.4) | 1588 (50.2) | 2.6 |  |
Deprivation index |  |  |  |  | < 0.001 |
 I-II | 39,307 (23.4) | 38,593 (23.4) | 714 (22.6) | 1.8 |  |
 III | 44,453 (26.4) | 43,695 (26.5) | 758 (24.0) | 1.7 |  |
 IV-V | 84,525 (50.2) | 82,833 (50.2) | 1692 (53.5) | 2.0 |  |
Number of comorbidities |  |  |  |  | < 0.001 |
 None | 22,181 (13.2) | 21,839 (13.2) | 342 (10.8) | 1.5 |  |
 One | 37,599 (22.3) | 37,178 (22.5) | 421 (13.3) | 1.1 |  |
 Two or more | 108,505 (64.5) | 106,104 (64.3) | 2401 (75.9) | 2.2 |  |
Chronic renal failure |  |  |  |  | < 0.001 |
 No | 158,661 (94.3) | 155,964 (94.5) | 2697 (85.2) | 1.7 |  |
 Yes | 9624 (5.7) | 9157 (5.5) | 467 (14.8) | 4.9 |  |
Peripheral neuropathy |  |  |  |  | < 0.001 |
 No | 141,424 (84.0) | 138,991 (84.2) | 2433 (76.9) | 1.7 |  |
 Yes | 26,861 (16.0) | 26,130 (15.8) | 731 (23.1) | 2.7 |  |
Hypoglycemia treatment |  |  |  |  | < 0.001 |
 Insulin alone | 21,817 (13.0) | 20,589 (12.5) | 1228 (38.8) | 5.6 |  |
 Insulin and non-insulin anti-DM drugs | 22,185 (13.2) | 21,269 (12.9) | 916 (29.0) | 4.1 |  |
 Anti-DM drugs at risk of hypoglycemiaa | 51,838 (30.8) | 51,115 (31.0) | 723 (22.9) | 1.4 |  |
 Other non-insulin anti-DM drugs only | 72,445 (43.0) | 72,148 (43.7) | 297 (9.4) | 0.4 |  |
Duration of insulin treatment |  |  |  |  | < 0.001 |
 Less than 5 years | 24,891 (14.8) | 23,910 (14.5) | 981 (31.0) | 3.9 |  |
 5 years or more | 19,111 (11.4) | 17,948 (10.9) | 1163 (36.8) | 6.1 |  |
 No insulin treatment | 124,283 (73.9) | 123,263 (74.7) | 1020 (32.2) | 0.8 |  |
ED attendance for acute glycemic event in 2014 |  |  |  |  | < 0.001 |
 No | 167,528 (99.6) | 164,484 (99.6) | 3044 (96.2) | 1.8 |  |
 Yes | 757 (0.4) | 637 (0.4) | 120 (3.8) | 15.9 |  |
Glycated hemoglobin test | Â | Â | Â | Â | 0.024 |
 No | 67,101 (39.9) | 65,778 (39.8) | 1323 (41.8) | 2.0 |  |
 Yes | 101,184 (60.1) | 99,343 (60.2) | 1841 (58.2) | 1.8 |  |
Adequate number of glucose test strips |  |  |  |  | < 0.001 |
 No | 96,420 (57.3) | 94,800 (57.4) | 1620 (51.2) | 1.7 |  |
 Yes | 71,865 (42.7) | 70,321 (42.6) | 1544 (48.8) | 2.1 |  |