Epidemiology of hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome in children hospitalized in USA

BACKGROUND: Previous studies of hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS) in children are limited to case series or single-institution reviews, which describe HHS primarily in children with type 2 diabetes mellitus. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence and describe the epidemiologic characteristics of HHS among children in USA. SUBJECTS: All discharges in the Kids' Inpatient Database - a triennial, nationwide, stratified probability sample of hospital discharges for years 1997-2009 - with age 0-18 yr and a diagnosis of HHS. METHODS: Using sample weights, we calculated the incidence and population rate of hospitalization with a diagnosis of HHS. RESULTS: Our sample included 1074 HHS hospitalizations; of these, 42. 9% were 16-18 yr, 70. 6% had type 1 diabetes (T1D), and 53. 0% had major or extreme severity of illness. The median length of stay was 2. 6 d, 2. 7% of hospitalizations ended in death, and median hospital charge was 10 882. When comparing HHS hospitalizations by diabetes type, the proportion with T1D fell steadily with age, from 89. 1% among children 0-9 yr, to 65. 1% in 16-18 yr olds. Patients with T1D had a shorter length of stay by 0. 9 d, and had a lower median charge by 5311. There was no difference in mortality by diabetes type. Population rates for HHS hospitalization rose 52. 4% from 2. 1 to 3. 2 per 1 000 000 children from 1997 to 2009. CONCLUSION: Hospitalizations for a diagnosis of HHS have high morbidity and are increasing in incidence since 1997. In contrast to prior reports, we found a substantial percentage of HHS hospitalizations occurred among children with T1D.