[Characterization of patients hospitalized by general practitioners for type 2 diabetes rebalancing : retrospective descriptive study of an internal medicine department in Strasbourg].

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is a public health problem in which general practitioners are in the front line, acting on all fronts, from screening to management.

Methods: Single-centre, quantitative, retrospective and descriptive study aimed at characterising the profile of patients referred to hospital by general practitioners in an internal medicine department in Strasbourg for rebalancing of their type 2 diabetes during the period from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022.

Results: 167 files were analysed, resulting in the inclusion of 72 patients with an average age of 61.1 years, M/F sex ratio 1.25. 51% were of foreign origin. 34.7% were covered by universal health insurance (CMU) and 7% by state medical aid (AME). Alcohol and tobacco intoxication were significant, as were associated comorbidities and vascular complications linked to diabetes. The average age of diabetes was 16 years. The mean length of hospitalisation was 5.9 days (± 1.9). The mean HbA1c was 10.2% (± 2.4). Prior to hospitalization, 44% of patients were being treated with insulin and 39% with oral antidiabetics only. Insulin treatment was started/modified/stopped in 58% of cases.

Conclusions: Patients admitted to hospital had long-standing diabetes with significant imbalance, occurring in a difficult social context and requiring insulin therapy adjustment in most cases.