Incidence of symptomatic mild hypoglycaemic events : a prospective study in adult patients with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus using a portable microcomputer-based data-logger

: A new method for recording mild symptomatic hypoglycaemic events was evaluated. A pilot study was conducted using a portable microcomputer-based data-logger which was carried for 10 days by 38 adult patients with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus. The patients recorded symptomatic hypoglycaemic events, meals and sleeping-hours. The recording was prospective and continuous and did not allow any corrections afterwards. No patients had any problems in carrying or handling the data-logger and compliance was good. A total of 76 hypoglycaemic events were recorded in 29 patients. Two patients had hypoglycaemic events that they were unable to manage without help from another person. There was a peak in the incidence of hypoglycaemic events late postprandially, particularly in patients treated with a four-dose insulin regime with fast-acting insulin before meals. A portable microcomputer-based data-logger is a reliable new method for recording symptomatic mild hypoglycaemic events. The incidence of mild hypoglycaemic events was higher than previously reported.