Clinical and demographic study of hypoglycemia cases followed up in our endocrinology clinic

Our study was retrospectively designed to evaluate the clinical and demographic characteristics of non-diabetic adult patients who presented with hypoglycemia symptoms to the Endocrinology Clinic of Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine. A total of 92 patients who were admitted between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2023, and underwent a prolonged fasting test (PFT) were included in the study. Patients' demographic data, presenting symptoms, laboratory parameters, and test results were thoroughly analyzed and compared according to gender, age groups, and other relevant variables. Among the participants, 68.5% were female, and the mean age was 44.46±14.68 years. The most commonly reported symptom was hand tremors, followed by fatigue, presyncope, and palpitations. The prolonged fasting test was applied in 95.7% of the patients, with an average duration of 62.18±18.40 hours. The test completion rate was determined to be 66.3%. Biochemical and hematological analyses revealed that neutrophil count, hemoglobin level, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were significantly higher in male patients compared to females (p<0.05). However, no statistically significant differences were found between genders in metabolic parameters such as HOMA-IR, HbA1c, or vitamin D levels. These findings suggest that hypoglycemia in non-diabetic individuals may be influenced not only by biochemical factors but also by demographic variables such as age, gender, and body mass index. The study highlights the importance of investigating underlying etiologies of hypoglycemic symptoms in non-diabetic patients and emphasizes the diagnostic value of the prolonged fasting test in clinical practice.