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ABSTRACT: Objective
Intensive insulin therapy is associated with the risk of hypoglycemia and increased costs of material and personnel. We therefore evaluated the safety and efficiency of a computer-assisted glucose control protocol in a large population of critically ill patients.Design and setting
Observational cohort study in three intensive care units (32 beds) in a 1,300-bed university teaching hospital.Patients
All 2,800 patients admitted to the surgical, neurosurgical, and cardiothoracic units; the study period started at each ICU after implementation of Glucose Regulation for Intensive Care Patients (GRIP), a freely available computer-assisted glucose control protocol.Measurements and results
We analysed compliance in relation to recommended insulin pump rates and glucose measurement frequency. Patients were on GRIP-ordered pump rates 97% of time. Median measurement time was 5min late (IQR 20min early to 34 min late). Hypoglycemia was uncommon (7% of patients for mild hypoglycemia, < 3.5mmol/l; 0.86% for severe hypoglycemia, < 2.2 mmol/l). Our predefined target range (4.0-7.5 mmol/l) was reached after a median of 5.6 h (IQR 0.2-11.8) and maintained for 89% (70-100%) of the remaining stay at the ICU. The number of measurements needed was 5.9 (4.8-7.3) per patient per day. In-hospital mortality was 10.1%.Conclusions
Our computer-assisted glucose control protocol provides safe and efficient glucose regulation in routine intensive care practice. A low rate of hypoglycemic episodes was achieved with a considerably lower number of glucose measurements than used in most other schemes.
SUBMITTER: Vogelzang M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC2491417 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Vogelzang Mathijs M Loef Bert G BG Regtien Joost G JG van der Horst Iwan C C IC van Assen Hein H Zijlstra Felix F Nijsten Maarten W N MW
Intensive care medicine 20080404 8
<h4>Objective</h4>Intensive insulin therapy is associated with the risk of hypoglycemia and increased costs of material and personnel. We therefore evaluated the safety and efficiency of a computer-assisted glucose control protocol in a large population of critically ill patients.<h4>Design and setting</h4>Observational cohort study in three intensive care units (32 beds) in a 1,300-bed university teaching hospital.<h4>Patients</h4>All 2,800 patients admitted to the surgical, neurosurgical, and ...[more]