Comprehensive evaluation of patterns of hypoglycemia unawareness (HUA) and glycemic variability (GV) in patients with fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes (FCPD): A cross-sectional study from South India.
Riddhi Dasgupta, Felix K Jebasingh, Shajith Anoop, Santhya Seenivasan, Mathews Edatharayil Kurian, Flory Christina, Gracy Varghese, Pamela Christudoss, K U Lijesh, Deepu David, Sudipta Dhar Chowdhury, Thomas V Paul, Nihal Thomas
Author Information
Riddhi Dasgupta: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Felix K Jebasingh: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Shajith Anoop: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Santhya Seenivasan: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Mathews Edatharayil Kurian: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India. ORCID
Flory Christina: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Gracy Varghese: Department of Biochemistry, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Pamela Christudoss: Department of Biochemistry, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
K U Lijesh: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Deepu David: Department of Gastroenterology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Sudipta Dhar Chowdhury: Department of Gastroenterology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Thomas V Paul: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Nihal Thomas: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India. ORCID
OBJECTIVES: Hypoglycemia unawareness (HUA) in patients with FCPD is common with an unclear etiology. We evaluated the prevalence, characteristics of HUA, glycemic variability (GV), its possible association with pancreatic glucagon secretion & cardiac autonomic function in patients with FCPD. METHODS: A two-week ambulatory glucose profile (AGP) and cardiac autonomic function test was done in patients with FCPD (n = 60), and categorized into UNAWARE (n = 44) and AWARE (n = 16) groups based on the Hypoglycemia Unawareness Index (HUI) score. Glycaemic variability was assessed from the AGP data using Easy GV 9.0.2 software. A subset of patients from both the groups (n = 11) underwent a mixed-meal challenge test and were compared with healthy individuals (controls; n = 11). RESULTS: HUA was evidenced in 73% (44/60) of patients with FCPD. Significant hypoglycemia, nocturnal hypoglycemia, duration of hypoglycemia and poor cardiac autonomic functions (p = 0.01) were prominent in the UNAWARE group. The overall GV was greater in the UNAWARE group. In the UNAWARE group, significantly reduced fasting and post prandial glucagon levels negatively correlated with HUI (r = -0.74, p < 0.05) and GV-hypoglycemia indices (p < 0.05) In contrast, significantly higher post prandial glucagon levels in the AWARE group positively correlated with post prandial hyperglycemia (r = 0.61, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Heterogeneity in patterns of glucagon secretion were significantly associated with HUA and GV. Reduced glucagon levels contribute to greater risks of HUA, nocturnal hypoglycemia and greater GV, while hyperglucagonemia predisposes to postprandial hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia awareness in patients with FCPD.
