Outcomes for general medical inpatients with diabetes mellitus and new hyperglycaemia

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between admission glycaemic status and inpatient mortality in patients with and without pre-existing diabetes. Design: Prospective observational cohort study. Setting: A general medical ward in an Australian tertiary referral hospital. Participants: 903 patients admitted to the general medical ward between February 2003 and July 2004. Main outcome measure: Inpatient death. Results: The overall inpatient mortality was 5.4% (n = 49). In the total cohort, age > 75 years and admission fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels ≥5.6mmol/L were independent predictors of mortality. For patients without a known history of diabetes, each 1mmol/L rise in admission ..