Q: My 55 years old mother is suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) and she is on haemodiaylsis. Two months back, she suffered from aspiration pneumonia and an episode of seizure. She was hospitalised and was on antibiotics for some days. The doctors told her that she had seizure because of low sugar low sodium. Now, post hospitalisation her sugar level goes down with every dialysis (RBS checked by glucometer ranges between 77 to 110), she has a very poor appetite, her urine routine test showed glucose present in urine (0.25 g/dL) and having loose stools for the last two months. She doesn’t take any medicine for diabetes and had no such problem earlier. Is she at risk of developing diabetes? How can it be treated?

A:Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) among patients with End Stage Renal Disease ( kidney failure requiring dialysis) can occur either due to poor nutrition or severe infection, both conditions prevalent in your mother. She need not be a diabetic to endure the risks of hypoglycemia. The prevention and the treatment essentially involves close monitoring of blood sugar while improving her nutritional status and treating any bouts of infections.