RESUMO
Ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycemia are the two most serious acute metabolic complications of diabetes even if managed properly [Glaser and Kupperman et al., 1997]. The mortality rate in patients with DKA is < 5% in experienced centers. Also the prognosis of it is substantially worsened at extremes of age and in presence of coma and hypotension [Argent AC 2004]. DKA occurs in 5% of patients with type1 diabetes annually, it is seen less frequently in type2 diabetes [Dunger et al., 2004]. The aim of our study was to: Detect the hyperglycemic crises in patients admitted in Intermediate Care Unit in Internal Medicine Department in Assiut University Hospital from May 2005 to May 2006. Determine the survival rate [primary end point] and functional outcome [secondary end point] of patients with hyperglycemic crises. Determine the prognostic factors associated with a fatal outcome of those patients. And To assess the possibility of improvement in the management of the potentially fatal acute hyperglycemic complications of diabetes [DKA and HHS]