Prevalence and determinants of hyperglycaemia in pneumonia patients

AbstractBackground: Hyperglycaemia during pneumonia prolongs the hospitalization and increases the risks of complications and death. However, its prevalence and determinants have not been systematically assessed. Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study. The material consisted of 153 hospitalized patients with pneumonia. Patients needing intensive care unit treatment were excluded. The height, weight, waist circumference, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, and Karnofsky score were measured at admission. Blood tests included glycosylated haemoglobin A1c (gHbA1c), C-reactive protein (CRP), leukocytes, urea, and arterial blood gas analysis. Plasma glucose was measured 7 times during the first day on the ward. Hyperglycaemia was defined as a fasting glucose > 7.0 mmol/l or postprandial glucose > 11.1 mmol/l. Results: Ninety-two patients (60%) showed hyperglycaemia. Twenty-two patients had a diagnosis of diabetes before hospitalization. Of the 131 patients without such a ...