Posted on 08/28/2008 2:57:20 PM PDT by fightinJAG
ScienceDaily (Aug. 28, 2008) — An analysis of randomized trials indicates that for critically ill adults, tight glucose control is not associated with a significantly reduced risk of death in the hospital, but is associated with an increased risk of hypoglycemia, calling into question the recommendation by many professional societies for tight glucose control for these patients, according to a new article.
In 2001, a randomized controlled trial (van den Berghe et al) showed that tight glucose control for critically ill surgical patients reduced hospital mortality by one-third. "Because few interventions in critically ill adult patients reduce mortality to this extent, the results of this trial were enthusiastically received and rapidly incorporated into guidelines," the authors write. Numerous organizations, including the American Diabetes Association and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists now recommend tight glucose control in all critically ill adults. "These recommendations have led to worldwide adoption of tight glucose control in a variety of intensive care unit (ICU) settings." But some subsequent trials of tight glucose control in certain ICU settings have failed to show the mortality benefit, and have indicated an increased risk for hypoglycemia (abnormally low blood sugar level).
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
Waiting-for-VP-news howdy!
It would be a better post if you operationally defined “tight glucose control.”
Between 70 and 110 is considered good control.
thanks, bfl
The study cited used a “glucose goal less than 150 mg/dL...” and reported the “...risk of hypoglycemia was increased about 5-fold” with this criteria of tight glucose control.
Do you know what glucose level you maintained during that period?
I've used cruder ones based on finger stick blood glucose values every 4 - 6 hours.
No. I never asked, and was miserable enough from the surgery not to care.
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