In ICU patients with diabetes, relative hypoglycemia is common, increases with higher hemoglobin A1C levels, and is a modifiable risk factor for both mortality and subsequent absolute hypoglycemia.

These findings provide the rationale for future interventional studies to explore new blood glucose management strategies and to substantiate the clinical relevance of relative hypoglycemia.

The median age of patients was 67 years.

The median Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III score was 53.

34 percent of patients with diabetes experienced relative hypoglycemia (exposure) during their ICU admission. Such patients had higher glycemic lability, hemoglobin A1C levels, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III scores.

1,592 critically ill diabetic patients analysed between January 2013 and December 2017.

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