Short-term Effect of Ambient Air Pollution on Emergency Department Visits for Diabetic Coma in Seoul, Korea / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: A positive association between air pollution and both the incidence and prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has been reported in some epidemiologic and animal studies, but little research has evaluated the relationship between air pollution and diabetic coma. Diabetic coma is an acute complication of DM caused by diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, which is characterized by extreme hyperglycemia accompanied by coma. We conducted a time-series study with a generalized additive model using a distributed-lag non-linear model to assess the association between ambient air pollution (particulate matter less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter, nitrogen dioxide [NO2], sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone) and emergency department (ED) visits for DM with coma in Seoul, Korea from 2005 to 2009. METHODS: The ED data and medical records from the 3 years previous to each diabetic coma event were obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service to examine the relationship with air pollutants. RESULTS: Overall, the adjusted relative risks (RRs) for an interquartile range (IQR) increment of NO2 was statistically significant at lag 1 (RR, 1.125; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.039 to 1.219) in a single-lag model and both lag 0-1 (RR, 1.120; 95% CI, 1.028 to 1.219) and lag 0-3 (RR, 1.092; 95% CI, 1.005 to 1.186) in a cumulative-lag model. In a subgroup analysis, significant positive RRs were found for females for per-IQR increments of NO2 at cumulative lag 0-3 (RR, 1.149; 95% CI, 1.022 to 1.291). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study suggest that ambient air pollution, specifically NO2, is associated with ED visits for diabetic coma.

Mortalidade por complicações agudas do diabetes melito no Brasil, 2006-2010 / Mortality from acute complications of diabetes mellitus in Brazil, 2006-2010 / Mortalidad por complicaciones agudas de la diabetes mellitus en Brasil, 2006-2010

Objetivo: descrever a mortalidade por complicações agudas do diabetes melito no Brasil segundo faixa etária, sexo, regiões e unidades federativas. Métodos: estudo descritivo com dados de óbitos registrados no Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade (SIM), corrigidos para sub-registro e causas mal definidas, para 2010 ou o período 2006-2010; as taxas foram padronizadas por idade e sexo. Resultados: a mortalidade por complicações agudas no Brasil foi de 2,45/100 mil habitantes e de 0,29/100 mil hab. entre menores de 40 anos de idade, correspondendo a 6,8 por cento e 22,9 por cento dos óbitos pelo diabetes como causa básica, respectivamente; a taxa de mortalidade foi maior nas regiões Norte (4,33/100 mil) e Nordeste (3,46/100 mil), aumentando com a idade. Conclusões: a taxa de mortalidade por complicações agudas do diabetes foi elevada, especialmente no Norte e Nordeste, considerando-se sua potencial evitabilidade; este indicador mostrou-se importante para avaliação de ações preventivas e de iniquidades regionais em saúde.

Objective: to describe mortality from acute complications of diabetes in Brazil according to geographical region, age and sex. Methods: deaths registered on the Brazilian Mortality System due to these complications (ICD-10 E10-14.0 or 1) in 2006-2010 were corrected for under-reporting and ill-defined causes. Mortality rates were standardized by age and sex. Results: annual mortality in Brazil was 2.45 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, and 0.29 deaths/100,000 inhabitants among those <40 years old, accounting for 6.8 percent and 22.9 percent of deaths registering diabetes as the underlying cause, respectively. Mortality was higher in the North and Northeast regions and increased with age. Conclusion: given its potential avoidability, mortality due to acute complications of diabetes was high, especially in the Northeast and the North regions. As such, it is an important indicator for evaluating preventive actions and regional health inequalities.

Objetivo: describir la mortalidad por complicaciones agudas de la diabetes mellitus en Brasil según franja de edad, sexo, regiones y unidades federativas. Métodos: estudio descriptivo con datos de óbitos registrados en el Sistema de Informaciones sobre Mortalidad (SIM), corregidos para subregistro y causas mal definidas, para 2010 o el período 2006-2010; las tasas fueron estandarizadas por edad y sexo. Resultados: la mortalidad por complicaciones agudas en Brasil fue de 2,45/100 mil habitantes y de 0,29/100 mil habitantes entre menores de 40 años de edad, correspondiendo a 6,8% y 22,9% de los óbitos causados por la diabetes como causa básica, respectivamente; la tasa de mortalidad fue mayor en las regiones Norte (4,33/100 mil) y Nordeste (3,46/100 mil), aumentando con la edad. Conclusiones: la tasa de mortalidad por complicaciones agudas de la diabetes fue elevada, especialmente en el Norte y el Nordeste, considerando la posibilidad potencial de evitarla; este indicador se mostró importante para evaluación de acciones preventivas y de inequidades regionales en salud.

Bilateral Putaminal Hemorrhage with Cerebral Edema in Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Syndrome

Bilateral putaminal hemorrhages rarely occur simultaneously in hypertensive patients. The association of intracerebral hemorrhage with cerebral edema (CE) has been rarely reported in diabetic patients. We present a patient with bilateral putaminal hemorrhage (BPH) and CE during the course of hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS). A 40-year-old man with a history of diabetes mellitus and chronic alcoholism was admitted with acute impaired mentality. His blood pressure was within the normal range on admission. Laboratory results revealed hyperglycemia and severe metabolic acidosis without ketonuria. After aggressive treatment, plasma sugar fell to 217 mg/dl, but brain CT showed BPH and diffuse CE. Our case demonstrated that HHS should be considered as a cause of BPH with CE. Initial brain imaging study may be recommended for patients with diabetic coma.