Asociación entre educación, conocimiento y número de hipoglicemias auto-reportadas en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2

Evaluar, en pacientes con Diabetes Mellitus (DM) tipo 2, la asociacion entre el grado de conocimiento acerca de hipoglicemias, con el numero de estas, la mayor prevalencia de hipoglicemia severa y el tratamiento antidiabetico usado. Pacientes y Metodo: Estudio transversal. Se aplico encuesta de conocimiento acerca de hipoglicemia (5 preguntas de alternativa) a pacientes adultos hospitalizados en un periodo de cuatro meses; se registro el numero de hipoglicemias reportadas por los pacientes en los ultimos 12 meses; y el tipo de tratamiento utilizado para la DM en este periodo. Resultados: 71 pacientes; 34 mujeres, media de 65 anos de edad. El promedio de respuestas correctas fue de 2,42. Los pacientes que refirieron haber recibido alguna vez educacion, tuvieron mas respuestas correctas (p=0.0004); tendencia a menor numero de hipoglicemias durante el ultimo ano (p=0,191) y mayor presencia de hipoglicemia severas (p=0,158). No hubo correlacion significativa entre el numero de hipoglicemias reportadas y el numero de respuestas correctas (r= 0.0088 de Spearman). En relacion al tipo de tratamiento hipoglicemiante, no se observaron diferencias significativas entre haber recibido educacion y el numero de hipoglicemia referidas (p=0,771), asi como tampoco con la presencia de hipoglicemias severas (p=0,347). Discusion: Destaca el escaso conocimiento acerca de la hipoglicemia en este grupo de pacientes. Aquellos con mas conocimientos reportaron menos hipoglicemias; probablemente porque las sabenprevenir. Destaca el mayor numero de hipoglicemias severas en pacientes con mas conocimiento, tal vez por mayor reporte. La educacion sigue siendo un pilar fundamental en el manejo de pacientes con DM. Assess, in patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) type 2, the association between the knowledge about hypoglicemia and the number of episodes of them, the highest prevalence of severe hypoglycemia, and antidiabetic treatment. Methods: Cross-sectional study. A survey of hypoglycemia (5 questions of alternatives)were provided to hospitalized patients during a period of four months; the number of episodes the patients reported were registered for 12 months, as was the type of treatment used during this period. Results: 71 patients; 34 women, mean age 65 years. The average number of correct answers was 2.42. Patients who had received some kind of education about hypoglycemia had more correct answers (p =0.0004); they trended to fewer episodes during the preceding year (p = 0.191) and more episodes of severe hypoglycemia (p=0.158). There isn't a statistically significant association between the number of episodes of hypoglycemia and the number of correct answers (Spearman r=0.0088). Regarding the type of hypoglycemic treatment, there are no significant differences between having received education and the reported number of episodes of hypoglycemia (p=0.771), nor with the presence of severe hypoglycemia (p=0.347). Conclusions: It's worth noting the limited knowledge about hypoglycemia in this patient group. Those with more knowledge reported less episodes of hypoglycemia, most likely because they know how to prevent the episodes from occurring. The greater number of incidents of severe hypoglycemia in patients with more knowledge may be due to better recognition of the severity and reporting it. Education remains a mainstay in the management of patients with DM.