Diabetic ketoacidosis in adult patients: an audit of factors influencing time to normalisation of metabolic parameters

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an acute life-threatening metabolic complication of diabetes that imposes substantial burden on our healthcare system. There is a paucity of published data in Australia assessing factors influencing time to resolution of DKA and length of stay (LOS). AIMS: To identify factors that predict a slower time to resolution of DKA in adults with diabetes. METHODS: Retrospective audit of patients admitted to St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne between 2010 to 2014 coded with a diagnosis of 'Diabetic Ketoacidosis'. The primary outcome was time to resolution of DKA based on normalisation of biochemical markers. Episodes of DKA within the wider Victorian hospital n..