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Andersen A, Bagger JI, Baldassarre MPA, Christensen MB, Abelin KU, Faber J, Pedersen-Bjergaard U, Holst JJ, Lindhardt TB, Gislason G, Knop FK, Vilsbøll T. Acute hypoglycemia and risk of cardiac arrhythmias in insulin-treated type 2 diabetes and controls. Eur J Endocrinol 2021; 185:343-353. [PMID: 34085953 PMCID: PMC8345897 DOI: 10.1530/eje-21-0232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hypoglycemia is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease including cardiac arrhythmias. We investigated the effect of hypoglycemia in the setting of acute glycemic fluctuations on cardiac rhythm and cardiac repolarization in insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes compared with matched controls without diabetes. DESIGN A non-randomized, mechanistic intervention study. METHODS Insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 21, age (mean ± s.d.): 62.8 ± 6.5 years, BMI: 29.0 ± 4.2 kg/m2, HbA1c: 6.8 ± 0.5% (51.0 ± 5.4 mmol/mol)) and matched controls (n = 21, age: 62.2 ± 8.3 years, BMI 29.2 ± 3.5 kg/m2, HbA1c: 5.3 ± 0.3% (34.3 ± 3.3 mmol/mol)) underwent a sequential hyperglycemic and hypoglycemic clamp with three steady-states of plasma glucose: (i) fasting plasma glucose, (ii) hyperglycemia (fasting plasma glucose +10 mmol/L) and (iii) hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (plasma glucose < 3.0 mmol/L). Participants underwent continuous ECG monitoring and blood samples for counterregulatory hormones and plasma potassium were obtained. RESULTS Both groups experienced progressively increasing heart rate corrected QT (Fridericia's formula) interval prolongations during hypoglycemia ((∆mean (95% CI): 31 ms (16, 45) and 39 ms (24, 53) in the group of patients with type 2 diabetes and controls, respectively) with similar increases from baseline at the end of the hypoglycemic phase (P = 0.43). The incidence of ventricular premature beats increased significantly in both groups during hypoglycemia (P = 0.033 and P < 0.0001, respectively). One patient with type 2 diabetes developed atrial fibrillation during recovery from hypoglycemia. CONCLUSIONS In insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes and controls without diabetes, hypoglycemia causes clinically significant and similar increases in cardiac repolarization that might increase vulnerability for serious cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Andersen
- Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark
- Center for Clinical Metabolic Research, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Jonatan I Bagger
- Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark
- Center for Clinical Metabolic Research, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Maria P A Baldassarre
- Center for Clinical Metabolic Research, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark
- Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, G. d’Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy
| | - Mikkel B Christensen
- Center for Clinical Metabolic Research, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kirsten U Abelin
- Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark
- Center for Clinical Metabolic Research, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Jens Faber
- Department of Medicine, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Pedersen-Bjergaard
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Endocrinology and Nephrology, Nordsjællands Hospital Hillerød, University of Copenhagen, Hillerød, Denmark
| | - Jens J Holst
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tommi B Lindhardt
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Cardiology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Gunnar Gislason
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Cardiology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark
- The Danish Heart Foundation, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Filip K Knop
- Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark
- Center for Clinical Metabolic Research, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tina Vilsbøll
- Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark
- Center for Clinical Metabolic Research, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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