Intensive versus conventional glucose control in critically ill patients

Glycemic profile and quality of recovery after emergency abdominal surgery-A prospective explorative cohort study

Associations between degrees of postoperative hyperglycemia and morbidity has previously been established. There may be an association between the glycemic profile and patient-reported recovery, and this may be a target for perioperative quality improvements. We aimed to investigate the association between metrics of the 30-day glycemic profile and patient-reported recovery in nondiabetic patients after major abdominal surgery. In a prospective, explorative cohort study, nondiabetic adult patients undergoing acute, major abdominal surgery were included within 24 h after surgery. Interstitial fluid glucose concentration was measured for 30 consecutive days with a continuous glucose measurement device. The validated questionnaire 'Quality of Recovery-15' was used to assess patient-reported quality of recovery on postoperative days 10, 20, and 30. Follow-up time was divided into five-day postoperative intervals using days 26-30 as a reference. Linear mixed models were applied to investigate temporal changes in mean p-glucose, coefficient of variation, time within 70-140 mg/dl, and time above 200 mg/dl in relation to patient-reported recovery. Twenty-seven patients completed the study per protocol. A hyperglycemic event (>200 mg/dl) occurred in 18 of 27 patients (67%) within the first three postoperative days. Compared to the reference period, the coefficient of variation was significantly increased during all time intervals, indicating prolonged postoperative insulin resistance. During 30 days of follow-up, patient-reported recovery was associated with the coefficient of variation measured for 3 and 5 days before the corresponding recovery score assessment (recovery score estimate -1.52 [p < .001] and -0.92 [p = .006], respectively). We did not find an association between the remaining metrics and patient-reported recovery. Alterations in the glycemic profile are frequent and prolonged during the first postoperative month after major surgery probably due to peripheral insulin resistance. Our findings indicate that high-glycemic variation is associated with poorer patient-reported recovery and might represent a proxy for care improvements in the postoperative period.

Intensive insulin therapy in sepsis patients: Better data enables better intervention

In clinics, sepsis is a critical disease that often develops into shock and multiple organ dysfunction, leading to a serious threat of death. Patients with sepsis are often accompanied by stress hyperglycemia which is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in sepsis. Thus, the treatment for stress hyperglycemia has attracted more and more attention, among which intensive insulin therapy is widely concerned. However, the benefits and harms of intensive insulin therapy for sepsis patients remain controversial. What the existing literature discusses mostly are the clinical benefit and hypoglycemia risk of intensive insulin therapy, but there is no conclusion on the target range of blood glucose control, the applicable patients, the timing of treatment initiation, and how to avoid the risk. In this study, we have analyzed and summarized the existing literature, hoping to determine the adverse and clinical benefit of intensive insulin therapy in sepsis. And we attempt to assemble better evidence to propose a better recommendation on hyperglycemia intervention for sepsis patients.

Association of dysglycemia with post-operative outcomes in pediatric surgery

BACKGROUND

Perioperative dysglycemia is associated with adverse surgical outcomes in adults. We sought to determine the association between perioperative dysglycemia and 30-day adverse surgical events in pediatric patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

METHODS

We analyzed records from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric (ACS-NSQIP-P) database from 2016 to 2021 at two academic tertiary care hospitals. The primary outcomes were individual 30-day adverse events, composite serious adverse events, composite hospital acquired infections and composite morbidity.

RESULTS

A total of 5410 records were analyzed: the cohort was 52.6% male and 52.6% non-Hispanic White, and 1472 (27.2%) had dysglycemia. Children undergoing procedures in general surgery (48.4%), neurosurgery (25.4%), and orthopedic surgery (16.0%) had higher rates of dysglycemia compared to other surgical specialties. Patients with dysglycemia were more likely to have surgical site infection (4.3% dysglycemic vs. 3.1% normoglycemic, p = 0.028), cardiac arrest (2.6% vs. 0.1%, p < 0.001), and sepsis (3.7% vs. 1.3%, p < 0.001); more likely to undergo reoperation (11.3% vs. 5.8%, p < 0.001); and more likely to remain hospitalized after 30 days (33.0% vs. 6.1%, p < 0.001). After controlling for patient and case demographics, perioperative dysglycemia was associated with more composite serious adverse events (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.49-2.29, p = 0.000), composite hospital acquired infections (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.04-1.93, p = 0.026), and composite morbidity (OR 2.52, 95% CI 2.13-2.97, p = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONS

Perioperative dysglycemia in children undergoing non-cardiac surgery is associated with increased risk of adverse events and outcomes. Interventions that screen and normalize blood glucose in the perioperative period may mitigate risk and improve quality of care.

Model-based subcutaneous insulin for glycemic control of pre-term infants in the neonatal intensive care unit

Hyperglycaemia is a common problem in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Achieving good control can result in better outcomes for patients. However, good control is difficult, where poor control and resulting hypoglycaemia reduces outcomes and confounds results. Clinically validated models can provide good control, and subcutaneous insulin delivery can provide more options for insulin therapy for clinicians. However, this combination has only been significantly utilised in adult outpatient diabetes, but could hold benefit for treating NICU infants. This research combines a well-validated NICU metabolic model with subcutaneous insulin kinetics models to assess the feasibility of a model-based approach. Clinical data from 12 very/extremely pre-mature infants was collected for an average study duration of 10.1 days. Blood glucose, interstitial and plasma insulin, as well as subcutaneous and local insulin were modelled, and patient-specific insulin sensitivity profiles were identified for each patient. Modelling error was low, where the cohort median [IQR] mean percentage error was 0.8 [0.3 3.4] %. For external validation, insulin sensitivity was compared to previous NICU cohorts using the same metabolic model, where overall levels of insulin sensitivity were similar. Overall, the combined system model accurately captured observed glucose and insulin dynamics, showing the potential for a model-based approach to glycaemic control using subcutaneous insulin in this cohort. The results justify further model validation and clinical trial research to explore a model-based protocol.

Point of care blood glucose devices in the hospital setting

Dysglycemia is common among hospitalized patients. Accurate point-of-care (POC) glucose monitoring is necessary for the safe administration of insulin. Unfortunately, POC glucose meters are not all created equal. Interfering factors such as abnormal hematocrit, abnormal oxygen tension, and oxidizing/reducing substances can lead to inaccurate glucose measurements and result in inappropriate insulin dosing. The introduction of autocorrecting glucose meters has changed the POC testing landscape. Autocorrecting glucose meters provide more accurate measurements and have been associated with improved glycemic control in hospitalized patients. Continuous glucose monitoring has also created interest in using these platforms in at-risk inpatient populations. Future glucose monitoring technologies such as artificial intelligence/machine learning, wearable smart devices, and closed-loop insulin management systems are poised to transform glycemic management. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of glucose monitoring technology, summarize the clinical impact of glucose monitoring accuracy, and highlight emerging and future POC glucose monitoring technologies.

Association between type II diabetes mellitus and 90-day mortality in a large multicenter prospectively collected cohort. A FROG ICU post-hoc study

PURPOSE

Factors associated with adverse outcomes in ICU patients with type II (T2DM) are poorly defined. The main goal of this study is to determine the impact of pre-existing T2DM on 90-day mortality post ICU admission.

MATERIAL

Post-hoc analysis from the FROG-ICU cohort. All patients admitted to ICU who were ventilated and/or treated by a vasoactive agent for >24 h were included. Association between T2DM and 90-day mortality was analyzed in unmatched, and populations matched by propensity score (PS) method to balance confounders recorded before ICU admission. Analysis was performed in non-imputed and imputed datasets.

RESULTS

2002 patients were included, and 16% had a history of T2DM. The latter were at inclusion more severely ill (SAPSII score 51(39-67) vs 48(35-61), p < 0.0001; Charlson score 2(1-3) vs 0(0-2), p < 0.0001). In the unmatched cohort, T2DM patients had a higher 90-day risk of death compared to no-DM patients (HR 1.35(1.1-1.65)). The 90-day risk of death was not significantly different T2DM and no T2DM patients after PS matching (HR: 0.81 (0.56-1.18). Results were similar with the analysis performed on imputed datasets (pooled HR: 0.95 (0.69-1.30)).

CONCLUSIONS

In the present study, T2DM was not associated with 90-day mortality post ICU admission.

Glycaemic control for patients with severe acute brain injury: Protocol for a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Hyperglycaemia is common in patients with acute brain injury admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). Many studies have found associations between development of hyperglycaemia and increased mortality in hospitalised patients. However, the optimal target for blood glucose control is unknown. We want to conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis to explore the beneficial and harmful effects of restrictive versus liberal glucose control on patient outcomes in adults with severe acute brain injury.

METHODS

We will systematically search medical databases including CENTRAL, Embase, MEDLINE and trial registries. We will search the following websites for ongoing or unpublished trials: http://www.controlled-trials.com/, http://www.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov/, www.eudraCT.com, http://centerwatch.com/, The Cochrane Library's CENTRAL, PubMed, EMBASE, Science Citation Index Expanded and CINAHL. Two authors will independently review and select trials and extract data. We will include randomised trials comparing levels of glucose control in our analyses and observational studies will be included to address potential harms. The primary outcomes are defined as all-cause mortality, functional outcome and health-related quality of life. Secondary outcomes include serious adverse events including hypoglycaemia, length of ICU stay and duration of mechanical ventilation, and explorative outcomes including intracranial pressure and infection. Trial Sequential Analysis will be used to investigate the risk of type I error due to repetitive testing and to further explore imprecision. Quality of trials will be evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, and quality of evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach.

DISCUSSION

The results of the systematic review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication. With the review, we hope to inform future randomised clinical trials and improve clinical practice.

Brain Glucose Sensing and the Problem of Relative Hypoglycemia

"Relative hypoglycemia" is an often-overlooked complication of diabetes characterized by an increase in the glycemic threshold for detecting and responding to hypoglycemia. The clinical relevance of this problem is linked to growing evidence that among patients with critical illness, higher blood glucose in the intensive care unit is associated with higher mortality among patients without diabetes but lower mortality in patients with preexisting diabetes and an elevated prehospitalization HbA1c. Although additional studies are needed, the cardiovascular stress associated with hypoglycemia perception, which can occur at normal or even elevated glucose levels in patients with diabetes, offers a plausible explanation for this difference in outcomes. Little is known, however, regarding how hypoglycemia is normally detected by the brain, much less how relative hypoglycemia develops in patients with diabetes. In this article, we explore the role in hypoglycemia detection played by glucose-responsive sensory neurons supplying peripheral vascular beds and/or circumventricular organs. These observations support a model wherein relative hypoglycemia results from diabetes-associated impairment of this neuronal glucose-sensing process. By raising the glycemic threshold for hypoglycemia perception, this impairment may contribute to the increased mortality risk associated with standard glycemic management of critically ill patients with diabetes.

Glycaemic control in critical care: Can flash glucose monitoring help?

Good glycaemic control confers an outcome benefit in both diabetic and non-diabetic critically unwell patients. Critically unwell patients receiving intravenous insulin in the intensive care unit (ICU) require hourly glucose monitoring. This brief communication highlights the impact of the introduction of the FreeStyle Libre glucose monitor, a form of continuous glucose monitoring, on the frequency of glucose recordings in patients receiving intravenous insulin in the ICU at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Intravenous amino acids may mediate the adverse effect of early parenteral nutrition on mortality in critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation: A post hoc analysis of the NEED trial

BACKGROUND

There is controversy regarding the optimal timing of initiating parenteral nutrition (PN) in critically ill patients. We aimed to evaluate the association between early PN and clinical outcomes and explore the mediation effects of different macronutrients in a cohort of mechanically ventilated patients.

METHODS

This is a post hoc analysis of the NEED trial aiming to investigate the effect of implementing an evidence-based feeding guideline in newly-admitted critically ill patients. All eligible patients were divided into those who received early PN within the first 3 days of enrollment (early PN) or those who did not (non-early PN). Propensity score matching with a one-to-one nearest neighbor-matching algorithm was applied to control potential confounders. Mediation analysis was used to test the indirect effect of different macronutrients from PN on the relationship between early PN and 28-day mortality.

RESULTS

The propensity score matching created 370 matched pairs of 1154 patients that met the eligibility criteria. Compared with non-early PN, patients receiving early PN had significantly higher 28-day mortality (19.7% vs 12.4%; hazard ratio = 1.904; 95% CI, 1.063-3.410; P = 0.03). Mediation analysis showed that amino acids from early PN mediated 65% (mediation effect = 0.07; 95% CI, 0.02-0.13; P = 0.01) of the detrimental effect of early PN on the 28-day mortality.

CONCLUSION

Early PN is associated with increased 28-day mortality in critically ill patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. The detrimental effect may be mediated by intravenous amino acids from early PN.

Strategies for intraoperative glucose management: a scoping review

PURPOSE

Perioperative hyperglycemia is associated with adverse outcomes for patients with and without diabetes. Guidelines and published protocols for intraoperative glycemic management have substantial variation in their recommendations. We sought to characterize the current evidence-guiding intraoperative glycemic management in a scoping review.

SOURCES

Our search strategy included MEDLINE (Ovid and EBSCO), PubMed, PubMed Central, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, SciVerse Scopus, and Web of Science and a gray literature search of Google, Google Scholar, hand searching of the reference lists of included articles, OAISter, institutional protocols, and ClinicalTrails.gov.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

We identified 41 articles that met our inclusion criteria, 24 of which were original research studies. Outcomes and exposures were defined heterogeneously across studies, which limited comparison and synthesis. Investigators often created arbitrary and differing categories of glucose values rather than analyzing glucose as a continuous variable, which limited our ability to combine results from different studies. In addition, the study populations and surgery types also varied considerably, with few studies performed during day surgeries and specific surgical disciplines. Study populations often included more than one type of surgery, indication, and urgency that were expected to have varying physiologic and inflammatory responses. Combining low- and high-risk patients in the same study population may obscure the harms or benefits of intraoperative glycemic management for high-risk procedures or patients.

CONCLUSION

Future studies examining intraoperative glycemic management should carefully consider the study population, surgical characteristics, and pre- and postoperative management of hyperglycemia.

Cirrhosis Management in the Intensive Care Unit

Patients with cirrhosis frequently require admission to the intensive care unit as complications arise in the course of their disease. These admissions are associated with high short- and long-term morbidity and mortality. Thus, understanding and characterizing complications and unique needs of patients with cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure helps providers identify appropriate level of care and evidence-based treatments. While there is no widely accepted critical care admission criteria for patients with cirrhosis, the presence of organ failure and primary or nosocomial infections are associated with particularly high in-hospital mortality. Optimal management of patients with cirrhosis in the critical care setting requires a system-based approach that acknowledges deviations from canonical pathophysiology. In this review, we discuss appropriate considerations and evidence-based practices for the general care of patients with cirrhosis and critical illness.

Mortality As a Measure of Treatment Effect in Clinical Trials Recruiting Critically Ill Patients

OBJECTIVES

All-cause mortality is a common measure of treatment effect in ICU-based randomized clinical trials (RCTs). We sought to understand the performance characteristics of a mortality endpoint by evaluating its temporal course, responsiveness to differential treatment effects, and impact when used as an outcome measure in trials of acute illness.

DATA SOURCES

We searched OVID Medline for RCTs published from 1990 to 2018.

STUDY SELECTION

We reviewed RCTs that had randomized greater than or equal to 100 patients, were published in one of five high-impact general medical or eight critical care journals, and reported mortality at two or more distinct time points. We excluded trials recruiting pediatric or neonatal patients and cluster RCTs.

DATA EXTRACTION

Mortality by randomization group was recorded from the article or estimated from survival curves. Trial impact was assessed by inclusion of results in clinical practice guidelines.

DATA SYNTHESIS

From 2,592 potentially eligible trials, we included 343 RCTs (228,784 adult patients). While one third of all deaths by 180 days had occurred by day 7, the risk difference between study arms continued to increase until day 60 (p = 0.01) and possibly day 90 (p = 0.07) and remained stable thereafter. The number of deaths at ICU discharge approximated those at 28-30 days (95% [interquartile range [IQR], 86-106%]), and deaths at hospital discharge approximated those at 60 days (99% [IQR, 94-104%]). Only 13 of 43 interventions (30.2%) showing a mortality benefit have been adopted into widespread clinical practice.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide a conceptual framework for choosing a time horizon and interpreting mortality outcome in trials of acute illness. Differential mortality effects persist for 60 to 90 days following recruitment. Location-based measures approximate time-based measures for trials conducted outside the United States. The documentation of a mortality reduction has had a modest impact on practice.

Can pioglitazone be used for optimization of nutrition in critical illness? A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Skeletal muscle wasting is a determinant of physical disability in survivors of critical illness. Intramuscular bioenergetic failure, altered substrate metabolim, and inflammation are likely underpinning mechanisms. We examined the effect of pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonist, on muscle-related outcomes in adults.

METHODS

We included randomized controlled trials in which pioglitazone was administered (no dose/dosage restrictions) and muscle-related outcomes were reported. We searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL, EMBASE, CINAHL, and trial registries. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2. Primary outcomes were physical function and symptoms, muscle mass and function, or body composition and muscular compositional change. Secondary outcomes included muscle insulin sensitivity, mitochondrial effects, and intramuscular inflammation.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies over 19 publications (n = 474 patients) were included. Lean body mass was unaffected in three studies (n = 126) and increased by 1.8-1.92 kg in two studies (P = 0.02 and 0.003, respectively; n = 48). Pioglitazone was associated with increased peripheral insulin sensitivity (+23%-72%, standardized mean difference of 0.97 from trial start point to end point [95% CI, 0.36-1.58; n = 213]). Treatment reduced intramuscular tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels (-30%; P = 0.02; n = 29), with mixed effects on serum TNF-α and intramyocellular lipid concentrations. Treatment increased intramuscular markers of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) biosynthesis (ATP5A [+33%, P ≤ 0.05], ETFA [+60%, P ≤ 0.05], and CX6B1 [+ 33%, P = 0.01] [n = 24]), PGC1α and PGC1β messenger RNA expression (P < 0.05; n = 26), and AMPK phosphorylation (+38%, P < 0.05; n = 26). These data have low-quality evidence profiles owing to risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Pioglitazone therapy increases skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity and can decrease intramuscular inflammation.

Predictors of sternal wound infection post cardiac surgery in a Saudi Centre: a case control study

BACKGROUND

Sternal wound infection (SWI) post cardiac surgery remains an important cause of extra morbidity, mortality and cost. The objective was to identify risk factors for SWI in a cardiac centre in Eastern Saudi Arabia as part of the investigation into Surveillance variance in the local rates of SWI.

METHODS

We included cases and controls from a cross section of patients who underwent major cardiac surgery between 2017 and 2020 matched for age, sex and time of surgery. An explanatory logistic regression model was fitted to estimate the risk factors.

RESULTS

N = 204 (51 cases and 153 controls matching ratio 1:3, from a source population of 985 patients). factors significantly associated with SWI in the final multivariate model: hospital stay OR (1.05, Cl 1.01-1.10), Graft Conduit BIMA versus No Graft OR (10.94, Cl 1.60-74.63), transfusion of both packed cells plus other blood products versus no transfusion OR (3.53, Cl 93-13.44), HbA1c OR (1.09 Cl 0.84-1.41), BMI OR (1.25, Cl 1.04-1.50), perioperative blood glucose OR (1.02, Cl 1.004-1.03), surgery time OR (1.19, Cl 1.00-1.58).

CONCLUSIONS

The diverse aetiology, cross-disciplinary nature of SWI prevention, and despite improved prevention and control practices, including related care bundles with their proven value, SWI remain a serious challenge in cardiac surgery. Multidisciplinary consensus guidelines are well overdue.

Association of intraoperative hyperglycemia with postoperative composite infection after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass: A retrospective cohort study

Background

The association between intraoperative hyperglycemia (IH) and postoperative infections in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is inadequately studied.

Methods

A total of 3,428 patients who underwent cardiac surgery with CPB at our institution between June 1, 2019 and July 30, 2021 were enrolled to evaluate the association of IH (blood glucose ≥ 180 mg/dL) with postoperative infection in patients. The new onset of any type of infection and the optimal cutoff values of intraoperative glucose to predict in-hospital infection were determined.

Results

The composite outcome occurred in 497 of 3,428 (14.50%) patients. IH was associated with an increased risk of postoperative composite infection [adjusted odds ratio: 1.39, (95% confidence interval), 1.06-1.82, P = 0.016]. Restricted cubic splines were applied to flexibly model and visualize the association of intraoperative peak glucose with infection, and a J-shaped association was revealed. Besides, it was demonstrated that the possibility of infection was relatively flat till 150 mg/dL glucose levels which started to rapidly increase afterward.

Conclusion

We summarize that IH is associated with an elevated risk of postoperative new-onset composite infections and perioperative blood glucose management should be more stringent, i.e., lesser than 150 mg/dL in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Transient loss of consciousness immediately after total pancreatectomy for pancreatic metastases from renal cell carcinoma: a case report

BACKGROUND

Total pancreatectomy (TP) is often selected for treatment of various pancreatic diseases. However, the resultant lack of autoregulation of glycometabolism necessitates careful postoperative management.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 77-year-old man who had undergone right nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma 11 years previously presented with multiple histologically diagnosed pancreatic metastases. The patient had no notable comorbidities, including diabetes. Because no extrapancreatic organ metastasis was identified, he underwent TP as a curative treatment. He awoke from anesthesia and was extubated without any problems in the operating room. However, 15 min after entering the intensive care unit, he suddenly lost consciousness and became apneic, resulting in reintubation. Blood gas analysis revealed an increased glucose concentration (302 mg/dL) and mixed acid-base disorder (pH of 7.21) due to insulin insufficiency and fentanyl administration. After induction of continuous intravenous insulin infusion and termination of fentanyl, the glucose concentration and pH gradually improved. He regained clear consciousness and spontaneous ventilation and was extubated the next day with no difficulties or complications.

CONCLUSION

This case highlights the importance of active monitoring of the glycemic state and pH after TP because of the possibility of deterioration due to TP itself as well as the lingering effects of anesthesia.

Addendum 1: Forum for Injection Technique and Therapy Expert Recommendations, India

With the emerging complexities in chronic diseases and people's lifestyles, healthcare professionals (HCPs) need to update their methods to manage and educate patients with chronic lifestyle disorders, particularly diabetes. The insulin injection technique (IIT), along with various parameters, must also be updated with newer methods. Forum for Injection Technique and Therapy Expert Recommendations (FITTER), India, has updated its recommendations to cover newer ways of detecting hypoglycaemia and lipohypertrophy, preventing needlestick injuries (NSIs), discouraging the reuse of insulin needles and encouraging good disposal. FITTER, India, is also introducing recommendations to calculate insulin bolus dose. These updated recommendations will help HCPs better manage patients with diabetes and achieve improved outcomes.

Stress-induced Hyperglycemia Ratio as an Independent Risk Factor of In-hospital Mortality in Nonresuscitation Intensive Care Units: A Retrospective Study

PURPOSE

To determine whether the stress-induced hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) is independently associated with in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients in nonresuscitation ICUs.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, clinical- and laboratory-related data from patients first admitted to nonresuscitation ICUs were extracted from an open-access database of >50,000 ICU admissions. Patients were assigned to one of two groups according to an SHR threshold of 1.1. The primary end point of this study was the in-hospital mortality rate. The associations between SHR and length of stay in the ICU and hospital, duration of mechanical ventilation use, and vasopressor use were secondary end points. Logistic regression models were established in the analysis of in-hospital mortality risk, and areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were analyzed to investigate the association between the primary end point and SHR used alone or together with the Simplified Acute Physiology Scale (SAPS) II score. The Youden index, specificity, and sensitivity of SHR and SAPS-II were also assessed.

FINDINGS

In this study, 1859 patients were included, 187 of whom (10.06%) died during hospitalization. The group with an SHR of ≥1.1 had a greater in-hospital mortality rate (13.7% vs 7.4%; P < 0.001), longer length of stay both in the ICU and in the hospital, a longer duration of mechanical ventilation use, and a greater rate of vasopressor use. On adjustment for multivariate risk, a 0.1-point increment in SHR was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (OR = 1.08; 95% CI, 1.00-1.16; P = 0.036). The AUC of the association between risk and the SAPS-II score was significantly greater than that with SHR (0.797 [95% CI, 0.576-0.664] vs 0.620 [95% CI, 0.764-0.830]; P < 0.001). The AUC with SAPS-II + SHR was significantly greater than that with SAPS-II used alone (0.802 [95% CI, 0.770-0.835] vs 0.797 [95% CI, 0.764-0.830]; P = 0.023). The Youden index, specificity, and sensitivity of SAPS-II + SHR were 0.473, 0.703, and 0.770, respectively.

IMPLICATIONS

Stress-induced hyperglycemia, as evaluated using the SHR, was associated with increased in-hospital mortality and worse clinical outcomes in these critically ill patients in nonresuscitation ICUs. SHR was an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality, and when used together with the SAPS-II, added to the capacity to predict mortality in these patients in nonresuscitation ICUs. Prospective data are needed to validate the capacity of SHR in predicting in-hospital mortality in patients in the nonresuscitation ICU.

Critical illness-associated weakness and related motor disorders

Weakness of limb and respiratory muscles that occurs in the course of critical illness has become an increasingly common and serious complication of adult and pediatric intensive care unit patients and a cause of prolonged ventilatory support, morbidity, and prolonged hospitalization. Two motor disorders that occur singly or together, namely critical illness polyneuropathy and critical illness myopathy, cause weakness of limb and of breathing muscles, making it difficult to be weaned from ventilatory support, commencing rehabilitation, and extending the length of stay in the intensive care unit, with higher rates of morbidity and mortality. Recovery can take weeks or months and in severe cases, and may be incomplete or absent. Recent findings suggest an improved prognosis of critical illness myopathy compared to polyneuropathy. Prevention and treatment are therefore very important. Its management requires an integrated team approach commencing with neurologic consultation, creatine kinase (CK) measurement, detailed electrodiagnostic, respiratory and neuroimaging studies, and potentially muscle biopsy to elucidate the etiopathogenesis of the weakness in the peripheral and/or central nervous system, for which there may be a variety of causes. These tenets of care are being applied to new cases and survivors of the coronavirus-2 disease pandemic of 2019. This chapter provides an update to the understanding and approach to critical illness motor disorders.

Effects of Intensive Blood Glucose Control on Surgical Site Infection for Liver Transplant Recipients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

The evidence supporting intensive blood glucose control to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs) among liver transplant recipients is insufficient. We aimed to assess the effects of postoperative intensive blood glucose control (IBGC) against standard blood glucose control (SBGC) on the incidence of SSIs among adult liver transplant recipients.

METHODS

We performed a randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03474666). The IBGC target was 80 to 130 mg/dL, and the SBGC target was below 180 mg/dL. Analyses were made on an intention-to-treat basis.

RESULTS

Of the 41 recipients enrolled onto the trial, 20 were randomly allocated to the IBGC group and 21 to the SBGC group. There were no significant differences in SSIs among recipients allocated to either group (relative risk [RR], 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21-2.88; P = .69). Mean (SD) blood glucose levels were significantly lower in the IBGC group in the 24-hour period after surgery (145.0 [20.7] mg/dL and 230.2 [51.6] mg/dL; P = .001). While there were fewer episodes of hypoglycemia in the IBGC group, this was not statistically significant. There were no episodes of severe hypoglycemia in either group. Hyperglycemia and severe hyperglycemia were significantly more frequent in the SBGC group (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.52-0.93; P = .001 and RR, 0.07; 95% CI, 0.01-0.48; P = .001, respectively). Length of hospital stay was significantly shorter for recipients in the IBGC group (13.1 [5.5] days vs 19.3 [12.1] days; P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

Although this small trial did not find intensive control reduced SSI, it was associated with lower blood glucose levels, fewer episodes of hyperglycemia and severe hyperglycemia, and shorter length of hospital stay.

Machine-learning-derived sepsis bundle of care

PURPOSE

Compliance to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guidelines is limited. This is known to be associated with increased mortality. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to identify among the SCC guidelines the optimal bundle of recommendations that minimize 28-day mortality.

METHODS

We used a training cohort to identify, using a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator penalized machine learning model, this bundle. Patients with sepsis/septic shock admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were extracted from two US databases, the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV (MIMIC-IV) database (training and internal validation cohorts) and the eICU Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD) (external validation cohort). In the validation cohorts, we defined a bundle group that includes patients who were treated with at least all the recommendations selected in our bundle and a no-bundle group that includes patients in whom at least one recommendation from our bundle was omitted.

RESULTS

All-cause 28-day mortality was the primary outcome measure. A total of 42,735 patients were included. Six recommendations (antimicrobials, balanced crystalloid, insulin therapy, corticosteroids, vasopressin, and bicarbonate therapy) were identified from the training cohort to be included in our bundle. In the propensity score-(PS)-matched internal validation cohort, the bundle group was associated with a lower mortality (OR 0.41 [0.33-0.53]; p < 0.001) compared to the no-bundle group. This was confirmed in the PS-matched external validation cohort (OR 0.75 [0.60-0.94]; p 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Our bundle of six recommendations is associated with a dramatic reduction in mortality in sepsis and septic shock. This bundle needs to be evaluated prospectively.

RAAS inhibitors are associated with a better chance of surviving of inpatients with Covid-19 without a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, compared with similar patients who did not require antihypertensive therapy or were treated with other antihypertensives

PURPOSE

The effect of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors in combination with COVID-19 and diabetes mellitus (DM) remains unknown. We assessed the risk of death in COVID-19 inpatients based on the presence or absence of DM, arterial hypertension (AH) and the use of RAAS inhibitors or other antihypertensives.

METHODS

The results of treatment of all adult PCR-confirmed COVID-19 inpatients (n = 1097, women 63.9%) from 02/12/2020 to 07/01/2022 are presented. The presence of DM at the time of admission and the category of antihypertensive drugs during hospital stay were noted. Leaving the hospital due to recovery or death was considered as a treatment outcome. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the risk of death. Patients with COVID-19 without AH were considered the reference group.

RESULTS

DM was known in 150 of 1,097 patients with COVID-19 (13.7%). Mortality among DM inpatients was higher: 20.0% vs. 12.4% respectively (p=0.014). Male gender, age, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and antihypertensives were independently associated with the risk of dying in patients without DM. In DM group such independent association was confirmed for FPG and treatment of AH. We found a reduction in the risk of death for COVID-19 inpatients without DM, who received RAAS inhibitors compared with the corresponding risk of normotensive inpatients, who did not receive antihypertensives: OR 0.22 (95% CI 0.07-0.72) adjusted for age, gender and FPG.

CONCLUSION

This result raises a question about the study of RAAS inhibitors effect in patients with Covid-19 without AH.

[Hyperglycemia in critically ill]

In critical illness hyperglycemia is associated with increased mortality. Based on the currently available evidence, an intravenous insulin therapy should be initiated when blood glucose is above 180 mg/dl. After initiation of insulin therapy blood glucose should be maintained between 140 and 180 mg/dl.

[Position statement: surgery and diabetes mellitus (Update 2023)]

This position statement reflects the perspective of the Austrian Diabetes Association concerning the perioperative management of people with diabetes mellitus based on the available scientific evidence. The paper covers necessary preoperative examinations from an internal/diabetological point of view as well as the perioperative metabolic control by means of oral antihyperglycemic and/or insulin therapy.

16. Diabetes Care in the Hospital: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2023

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Care in Diabetes" includes the ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, a multidisciplinary expert committee, are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations and a full list of Professional Practice Committee members, please refer to Introduction and Methodology. Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

Association between insulin administration method and six-month neurological outcome in survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who underwent targeted temperature management

We investigated the association of insulin administration method with the achievement of mean glucose ≤ 180 mg/dL and neurological outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors who had hyperglycemia after the return of spontaneous circulation. From a multicenter prospective registry, we extracted the data of adult OHCA survivors who underwent targeted temperature management (TTM) between 2015 and 2018. Blood glucose levels every 4 h after initiating TTM were obtained for 72 h. We divided insulin administration methods into three categories: subcutaneous (SQI), intravenous bolus (IBI), and continuous intravenous (CII). We calculated the mean glucose and standard deviation (SD) of glucose. The primary outcome was the achievement of mean glucose ≤ 180 mg/dL. The secondary outcomes were the 6-month neurological outcome based on the Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) scale (good, CPC 1-2; poor, CPC 3-5), mean glucose, and SD of glucose. Of the 549 patients, 296 (53.9%) achieved mean glucose ≤ 180 mg/dL, and 438 (79.8%) had poor neurological outcomes, 134 (24.4%), 132 (24.0), and 283 (51.5%) were in the SQI, IBI, and CII groups, respectively. The SQI (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.848; 95% confidence intervals [CIs], 0.493-1.461) and IBI (aOR, 0.673; 95% CIs, 0.415-1.091) groups were not associated with mean glucose ≤ 180 mg/dL and the SQI (aOR, 0.660; 95% CIs, 0.335-1.301) and IBI (aOR, 1.757; 95% CIs, 0.867-3.560) groups were not associated with poor neurological outcomes compared to the CII group. The CII (168 mg/dL [147-202]) group had the lowest mean glucose than the SQI (181 mg/dL [156-218]) and IBI (184 mg/dL [162-216]) groups. The CII (45.0[33.9-63.5]) group had a lower SD of glucose than the IBI (50.8 [39.1-72.0]) group. The insulin administration method was not associated with achieving mean glucose ≤ 180 mg/dL and 6-month neurological outcomes.

Prognostic Significance of Baseline Blood Glucose Levels and Glucose Variability in Severe Acute Kidney Injury: A Secondary Analysis from the RENAL Study

Aim: To study the associations between baseline blood glucose levels (BGL), glycemic variability and clinical outcomes in patients with severe acute kidney injury (AKI) receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the Randomized Evaluation of Normal versus Augmented Level of RRT (RENAL) study. A multivariate Cox regression model was used to assess the association between baseline BGL, glycemic variability and clinical outcomes. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and secondary outcomes were duration of hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Results: Baseline BGL data were available in 1404 out of 1508 patients from the RENAL study. Among them, 627 patients died within 90 days of randomization. Compared to patients in the second quartile (BGL 5.8−7.2 mmol/L), patients in the first quartile (BGL < 5.8 mmol/L) had increased mortality rate (90-day HR 1.48; p = 0.001; 28-day HR 1.47; p = 0.042). However, there were no significant differences in ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS) (p = 0.82 and p = 0.33, respectively). Glycemic variability data were from 1345 out of 1404 patients who had data for BG values within 28 days. Higher coefficient of variation (CV) (HR 1.02; P trend = 0.002) and standard deviation value (SD) (HR 1.29; P trend = 0.027) were associated with higher risk of death at day 90. Conclusions: We identified a low BGL within the normal physiological range at baseline and greater CV and SD values as significant modifiable risk factors for mortality in severe AKI patients in ICU, which may be a target for intervention.

Hyperglycemia is associated with worse 3-year survival in older patients admitted to the intensive care unit after non-cardiac surgery: Post hoc analysis of a randomized trial

Objective

Hyperglycemia is common in critically ill patients after surgery and is associated with worse perioperative outcomes. Yet, the impact of postoperative hyperglycemia on long-term outcomes remains unclear. We therefore analyzed the association between early postoperative hyperglycemia and 3-year overall survival in older patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit after surgery.

Methods

This was a post hoc analysis of database obtained from a previous randomized trial and 3-year follow-up. The underlying trial enrolled 700 patients aged 65 years or older who were admitted to the intensive care unit after elective non-cardiac surgery. Early postoperative time-weighted average blood glucose was calculated and was divided into three levels, i.e., <8.0 mmol/L, from 8.0 to 10.0 mmol/L, and >10.0 mmol/L. The primary outcome was 3-year overall survival. The association between time-weighted average blood glucose level and 3-year overall survival was analyzed with Cox proportional hazard regression models. Subgroup analyses were also performed in patients with or without diabetes, and in patients following cancer or non-cancer surgery.

Results

A total of 677 patients (mean age 74 years, 60% male sex) were included in the final analysis. Within 3 years after surgery, deaths occurred in 22.1% (30/136) of patients with time-weighted average blood glucose <8.0 mmol/L, compared with 35.7% (81/227) of those from 8.0 to 10.0 mmol/L (unadjusted hazard ratio 1.75, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.67, P = 0.009), and 36.9% (116/314) of those >10.0 mmol/L (unadjusted hazard ratio 1.91, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.85, P = 0.002). After adjustment for confounding factors, the risk of 3-year mortality remained higher in patients with time-weighted average blood glucose from 8.0 to 10.0 mmol/L (adjusted hazard ratio 2.28, 95% CI 1.47 to 3.54, P < 0.001) and in those >10.0 mmol/L (adjusted hazard ratio 2.00, 95% CI 1.29 to 3.10, P = 0.002). Similar results were obtained in the subgroups of patients without diabetes and patients following cancer surgery.

Conclusion

For older patients admitted to the intensive care unit after elective non-cardiac surgery, high early blood glucose (time-weighted average blood glucose ≥ 8.0 mmol/L) was associated with poor 3-year overall survival. The impact of moderate glycemic control on long-term survival deserves further investigation.

Intravenous bolus-infusion versus sliding scale of insulin for intra-operative glycemic control in elective laparotomy surgeries

Abstract

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the bolus-infusion to the sliding scale of insulin approaches, regarding percentage of the operative time with the target capillary blood glucose (CBG) range, total insulin units given to the patients, development of hypoglycemia, and the peri-operative changes in serum potassium (s.k) in elective laparotomy surgeries. Sixty patients, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status II, were randomly divided to either the bolus-insulin infusion (BII) group, or the sliding scale of insulin (SSI) group.

Results

The intra-operative target CBG range was achieved in both groups, with no statistically significant difference between them. However, in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU), the number of patients who achieved the target CBG range was significantly more in the BII group. The decrease in the CBG was statistically significant in the SSI group than in the BII group; starting from 30 minutes after the initial intra-venous (IV) insulin injected, to 240 minutes intra-operatively and in the PACU. No patient in either groups developed hypoglycemia. The mean intra-operative time needed to achieve the target CBG range was statistically significant less in the SSI group. The mean percentage of the operative time with the target CBG range was statistically non-significant higher in the SSI group. The mean total insulin units given were statistically non-significant higher in the SSI group. The peri-operative changes in s.k were statistically non-significant between the two groups.

Conclusions

The BII approach slowly achieved the target CBG range intra-operatively and maintained this target in the PACU, with mean 54.6 ± 28.9% operative time with the target CBG range, and with less mean total insulin units needed than the SSI approach.

Perioperative Management of the Patient at High-Risk for Cardiac Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most common major complications of cardiac surgery, and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Cardiac surgery-associated AKI has a complex, multifactorial etiology, including numerous factors such as primary cardiac dysfunction, hemodynamic derangements of cardiac surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass, and the possibility of a large volume of blood transfusion. There are no truly effective pharmacologic therapies for the management of AKI, and, therefore, anesthesiologists, intensivists, and cardiac surgeons must remain vigilant and attempt to minimize the risk of developing renal dysfunction. This narrative review describes the current state of the scientific literature concerning the specific aspects of cardiac surgery-associated AKI, and presents it in a chronological fashion to aid the perioperative clinician in their approach to this high-risk patient group. The evidence was considered for risk prediction models, preoperative optimization, and the intraoperative and postoperative management of cardiac surgery patients to improve renal outcomes.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Hyperglycemia in Severe Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children: A Retrospective Case-Control Study

Objective Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) patients might be at risk for hyperglycemia and associated complications. Herein, we aimed to determine the incidence of hyperglycemia, understanding the underlying risk factors in MIS-C patients.

Methods All MIS-C patients were retrospectively evaluated and compared according to the presence of hyperglycemia and the need of insulin. Inflammatory markers and body mass index Z-scores were also compared.

Results The median age of the patients with hyperglycemia was higher than those without (p = 0.001). Disease severity scores of patients with hyperglycemia were higher. Procalcitonin levels of patients with hyperglycemia were higher, while ferritin, CRP, and interleukin-6 levels were not. BMIs of patients with hyperglycemia were higher (p = 0.01) but BMI Z-scores were similar (p = 0.055). There was a positive correlation between BMIs and CRP (r: 0.31, p = 0.015). There was a positive correlation between procalcitonin (r: 0.431, p = 0.001) and CRP (r: 0.279, p = 0.029) and maximum PG.

Conclusion Hyperglycemia is a common feature of MIS-C patients and is associated with the severity of the inflammation. As a novel finding, high CRP and procalcitonin should be considered as predictive markers for impaired glucose homeostasis in MIS-C patients.

Conventional Glycaemic Control May Not Be Beneficial in Diabetic Patients Following Cardiac Surgery

INTRODUCTION

Stress hyperglycaemia is common following cardiac surgery. Its optimal management is uncertain and emerging literature suggests that flexible glycaemic control in diabetic patients may be preferable. This study aims to assess the relationship between maximal postoperative in-hospital blood glucose levels (BSL) and the morbidity and mortality outcomes of diabetic and non-diabetic cardiac surgery patients.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort analysis of all patients undergoing cardiac surgery at a tertiary single centre institution from 2015 to 2019 was undertaken. Early management and outcomes of hyperglycaemia following cardiac surgery were assessed via multivariable regression modelling. Follow-up was assessed to 1 year postoperatively.

RESULTS

Consecutive non-diabetic patients (n=1,050) and diabetic patients (n=689) post cardiac surgery were included. Diabetics with peak BSL ≤13.9 mmol/L did not have an increased risk of morbidity or mortality compared to non-diabetics with peak BSL ≤10.0 mmol/L. In non-diabetics, stress hyperglycaemia with peak BSL >10.0 mmol/L was associated with overall wound complications (5.7% vs 8.8%, OR 1.64 [1.00-2.69], p=0.049) and postoperative pneumonia (2.7% vs 7.3%, OR 2.35 [1.26-4.38], p=0.007). Diabetic patients with postoperative peak BSL >13.9 mmol/L were at an increased risk of overall wound complication (7.4% vs 14.8%, OR 2.47 [1.46-4.16], p<0.001), graft harvest site infection (3.7% vs 11.8%, OR 3.75 [1.92-7.30], p<0.001), and wound-related readmission (3.1% vs 8.8%, OR 3.11 [1.49-6.47], p=0.002) when compared to diabetics with peak BSL ≤13.9 mmol/L.

CONCLUSION

In non-diabetics, stress hyperglycaemia with peak BSL >10.0 mmol/L is associated with morbidity. In diabetic patients, hyperglycaemia with peak BSL ≤13.9 mmol/L was not associated with an increased risk of morbidity or mortality compared to non-diabetics with peak BSL ≤10.0 mmol/L. Further investigation of flexible glycaemic targets (target BSL ≤13.9 mmol/L) in diabetic patients is warranted.

Fractional Gluconeogenesis: A Biomarker of Dietary Energy Adequacy in a Rat Brain Injury Model

Patients treated for traumatic brain injury (TBI) are in metabolic crises because of the trauma and underfeeding. We utilized fractional gluconeogenesis (fGNG) to assess nutritional adequacy in ad libitum-fed and calorically-restricted rats following TBI. Male Sprague-Dawley individually housed rats 49 days of age were randomly assigned into four groups: ad libitum (AL) fed control (AL-Con, sham), AL plus TBI (AL+TBI), caloric restriction (CR) control (CR-Con, sham), and CR plus TBI (CR+TBI). From days 1-7 animals were given AL access to food and water containing 6% deuterium oxide (D₂O). On day 8, a pre-intervention blood sample was drawn from each animal, and TBI, sham injury, and CR protocols were initiated. On day 22, the animals were euthanized, and blood was collected to measure fGNG. Pre-intervention, there was no significant difference in fGNG among groups (p ≥ 0.05). There was a significant increase in fGNG due to caloric restriction, independent of TBI (p ≤ 0.05). In addition, fGNG may provide a real-time, personalized biomarker for assessing patient dietary caloric needs.

Effect of Selective Decontamination of the Digestive Tract on Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Whether selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) reduces mortality in critically ill patients remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether SDD reduces in-hospital mortality in critically ill adults.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A cluster, crossover, randomized clinical trial that recruited 5982 mechanically ventilated adults from 19 intensive care units (ICUs) in Australia between April 2018 and May 2021 (final follow-up, August 2021). A contemporaneous ecological assessment recruited 8599 patients from participating ICUs between May 2017 and August 2021.

INTERVENTIONS

ICUs were randomly assigned to adopt or not adopt a SDD strategy for 2 alternating 12-month periods, separated by a 3-month interperiod gap. Patients in the SDD group (n = 2791) received a 6-hourly application of an oral paste and administration of a gastric suspension containing colistin, tobramycin, and nystatin for the duration of mechanical ventilation, plus a 4-day course of an intravenous antibiotic with a suitable antimicrobial spectrum. Patients in the control group (n = 3191) received standard care.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality within 90 days. There were 8 secondary outcomes, including the proportion of patients with new positive blood cultures, antibiotic-resistant organisms (AROs), and Clostridioides difficile infections. For the ecological assessment, a noninferiority margin of 2% was prespecified for 3 outcomes including new cultures of AROs.

RESULTS

Of 5982 patients (mean age, 58.3 years; 36.8% women) enrolled from 19 ICUs, all patients completed the trial. There were 753/2791 (27.0%) and 928/3191 (29.1%) in-hospital deaths in the SDD and standard care groups, respectively (mean difference, -1.7% [95% CI, -4.8% to 1.3%]; odds ratio, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.82-1.02]; P = .12). Of 8 prespecified secondary outcomes, 6 showed no significant differences. In the SDD vs standard care groups, 23.1% vs 34.6% had new ARO cultures (absolute difference, -11.0%; 95% CI, -14.7% to -7.3%), 5.6% vs 8.1% had new positive blood cultures (absolute difference, -1.95%; 95% CI, -3.5% to -0.4%), and 0.5% vs 0.9% had new C difficile infections (absolute difference, -0.24%; 95% CI, -0.6% to 0.1%). In 8599 patients enrolled in the ecological assessment, use of SDD was not shown to be noninferior with regard to the change in the proportion of patients who developed new AROs (-3.3% vs -1.59%; mean difference, -1.71% [1-sided 97.5% CI, -∞ to 4.31%] and 0.88% vs 0.55%; mean difference, -0.32% [1-sided 97.5% CI, -∞ to 5.47%]) in the first and second periods, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Among critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation, SDD, compared with standard care without SDD, did not significantly reduce in-hospital mortality. However, the confidence interval around the effect estimate includes a clinically important benefit.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02389036.

Clinical challenges of glycemic control in the intensive care unit: A narrative review

Glucose control in patient admitted to the intensive care unit has been a topic of much debate over the past 20 years. The harmful effects of uncontrolled hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia in critically ill patients is well established. Although a large clinical trial in 2001 demonstrated significant mortality and morbidity benefits with tight glucose control in this patient population, the results could not be replicated by other investigators. The “Normoglycemia in Intensive Care Evaluation-Survival Using Glucose Algorithm Regulation” trial in 2009 established that tight glucose control was not only of no benefit, but in fact harmful due to the significant risk of hypoglycemia. The current guidelines suggest a moderate approach with the initiation of intravenous insulin therapy in critically ill patients when the blood glucose level is above 180 mg/dL. The most important factor that underpins glycemic management in intensive care unit patients is the consequent prevention of hypoglycemia. Robust glucose monitoring strategies and insulin protocols need to be implemented in order to achieve this goal.

In-Hospital Hyperglycemia Is Associated With Worse Outcomes in Patients Admitted With COVID-19

OBJECTIVE

Diabetes and the outpatient diabetes treatment regimen have been identified as risk factors for poor outcomes in patients with sepsis. However, little is known about the effect of tight inpatient glycemic control in the setting of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, we examined the effect of hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes hospitalized because of COVID-19.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We analyzed data from 1,938 COVID-19 patients with diabetes hospitalized for COVID-19 from March to May 2020 at a large academic medical center in New York City. Patients were divided into two groups based on their inpatient glycemic values, and a Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the independent association of inpatient glucose levels with mortality (primary outcome) and the risk of requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) (secondary outcome).

RESULTS

In our analysis, 32% of the patients were normoglycemic and 68% hyperglycemic. Moreover, 31% of the study subjects died during hospitalization, and 14% required MV, with inpatient hyperglycemia being significantly associated with both mortality and the requirement for MV. Additionally, in the Cox regression analysis, after adjustment for potential confounders, including age, sex, race, BMI, HbA1c, comorbidities, inflammatory markers, and corticosteroid therapy, patients with uncontrolled hyperglycemia had a higher risk of dying (hazard ratio [HR] 1.54, 95% CI 1.00-2.36, P = 0.049) and of requiring MV (HR 4.41, 95% CI 1.52-2.81, P = 0.006) than those with normoglycemia.

CONCLUSIONS

A tight control of inpatient hyperglycemia may be an effective method for improving outcomes in patients with diabetes hospitalized for COVID-19.

Postoperative Poor Oral Intake After Distal Pancreatectomy

OBJECTIVES

Poor oral intake (POI) without an identifiable cause is frequently observed after distal pancreatectomy (DP). This study was designed to investigate the incidence and risk factors of POI after DP, and its impact on the length of hospital stay.

METHODS

The prospectively collected data of patients who received DP were retrospectively reviewed. A diet protocol after DP was followed, and POI after DP was defined as the oral intake being less than 50% of the daily requirement and parenteral calorie supply being required on postoperative day 7.

RESULTS

Of the 157 patients, 21.7% (34) experienced POI after DP. The multivariate analysis revealed that the remnant pancreatic margin (head; hazard ratio, 7.837; 95% confidence interval, 2.111-29.087; P = 0.002) and postoperative hyperglycemia >200 mg/dL (hazard ratio, 5.643; 95% confidence interval, 1.482-21.494; P = 0.011) were independent risk factors for POI after DP. The length of hospital stay (median [range]) of the POI group was significantly longer than that of the normal diet group (17 [9-44] vs 10 [5-44] days; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients undergoing pancreatic resection at pancreatic head portion should follow a postoperative diet, and postoperative glucose levels should be strictly regulated.

Implementing a Diabetic Algorithm for Ophthalmology Surgery Patients: A Quality Improvement Initiative

Introduction

The objective of this quality improvement, interventional study regarding patients with diabetes undergoing diabetic ophthalmology outpatient surgery aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate a new diabetic algorithm to improve safety, operating room efficiency, and decrease supply cost.

Methods

A multidisciplinary study team was assembled, including ophthalmologists, endocrinologists, anesthesiologists, management, and nurses to review the current diabetic protocol. From August 2016 to July 2017, 13 patient safety concerns or incident reports were reviewed that identified two serious cases of hypoglycemia. Using the concerns data, frontline perspectives, and reviewing best practice guidelines, a new diabetic algorithm was developed and trialed for 24 months. The new algorithm limited the use of an existing preoperative insulin protocol and reduced the number of nurses required. The number of adverse events, nursing setup process steps, setup time, and preoperative insulin infusion protocols used were collected. An evaluation of the supply costs was performed.

Results

After implementing the new diabetic algorithm, zero safety incidents were reported, and a 97.5% reduction in the use of preoperative insulin protocol resulted. Nursing staff perceived that the new diabetic algorithm was easier to configure, 23 minutes faster to set up, and required one nursing staff member. Supply cost was reduced by $30.63 (Canadian Dollars, CAD) per patient.

Conclusion

Perioperative glucose irregularities may threaten patient safety and surgical outcomes. Healthcare professionals must improve patient safety, decrease healthcare expenditure, and prevent unnecessary delays. Multidisciplinary frontline staff experiential knowledge aided in the recognition of potential problems and comprehensive solutions to optimize patient care.

Interactions in the 2×2×2 factorial randomised clinical STEPCARE trial and the potential effects on conclusions: a protocol for a simulation study

Background

Randomised clinical trials with a factorial design may assess the effects of multiple interventions in the same population. Factorial trials are carried out under the assumption that the trial interventions have no interactions on outcomes. Here, we present a protocol for a simulation study investigating the consequences of different levels of interactions between the trial interventions on outcomes for the future 2×2×2 factorial designed randomised clinical Sedation, TEmperature, and Pressure after Cardiac Arrest and REsuscitation (STEPCARE) trial in comatose patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Methods

By simulating a multisite trial with 50 sites and 3278 participants, and a presumed six-month all-cause mortality of 60% in the control population, we will investigate the validity of the trial results with different levels of interaction effects on the outcome. The primary simulation outcome of the study is the risks of type-1 and type-2 errors in the simulated scenarios, i.e. at what level of interaction is the desired alpha and beta level exceeded. When keeping the overall risk of type-1 errors ≤ 5% and the risk of type-2 errors ≤ 10%, we will quantify the maximum interaction effect we can accept if the planned sample size is increased by 5% to take into account possible interaction between the trial interventions. Secondly, we will assess how interaction effects influence the minimal detectable difference we may confirm or reject to take into account 5% (small interaction effect), 10% (moderate), or 15% (large) positive interactions in simulations with no ‘true’ intervention effect (type-1 errors) and small (5%), moderate (10%), or large negative interactions (15%) in simulations with ‘true’ intervention effects (type-2 errors). Moreover, we will investigate how much the sample size must be increased to account for a small, moderate, or large interaction effects.

Discussion

This protocol for a simulation study will inform the design of a 2×2×2 factorial randomised clinical trial of how potential interactions between the assessed interventions might affect conclusions. Protocolising this simulation study is important to ensure valid and unbiased results.

Trial registration

Not relevant

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13063-022-06796-7.

Intensive versus conservative glycemic control in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery: A protocol for systematic review of randomised controlled trials

Introduction

Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia are common during coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and are associated with a variety of postoperative outcomes. Therefore, the strategy of intraoperative glycemic control is an important issue for the patients undergoing CABG. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effect of different intraoperative glycemic control strategies on postoperative outcomes.

Methods and analyses

We will perform this systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) according to the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Relevant studies will be searched in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. Two independent reviewers will conduct study selection, data extraction, risk of bias and quality assessment. The primary outcome is postoperative mortality, and the secondary outcomes include the duration of mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU), the incidence of postoperative myocardial infarction (MI), the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF), the type and volume of blood product transfusion, the rate of rehospitalization, the rate of cerebrovascular accident, the rate of significant postoperative bleeding, the rate of infection, the incidence of acute kidney failure (AKF), hospital and ICU lengths of stay (LOS). ReviewManager 5.4 will be used for data management and statistical analysis. The Cochrane risk-of -bias tool 2.0 and GRADEpro will be applied for risk of bias and quality assessment of the evidence.

Discussion

There is no consensus that which strategy of glycemic control is better for improving postoperative complications of patients undergoing CABG. The results of our study might provide some evidence for the relationship between intraoperative glycemic control strategies and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing CABG.

Hypoglycemia is associated with a higher risk of mortality and arrhythmias in ST-elevation myocardial infarction, irrespective of diabetes

Aims

We aimed to assess the impact of hypoglycemia in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Background

Hypoglycemia increases the risk of mortality in patients with diabetes and high cardiovascular risk.

Methods

We used the National Inpatient Sample (2005–2017) database to identify adult patients with STEMI as the primary diagnosis. The secondary diagnosis was hypoglycemia. We compared cardiovascular and socio-economic outcomes between STEMI patients with and without hypoglycemia and assessed temporal trends.

Results

Hypoglycemia tends to complicate 0.17% of all cases hospitalized for STEMI. The mean age (±SD) of STEMI patients hospitalized with hypoglycemia decreased from 67 ± 15 in 2005 to 63 ± 12 in 2017 (p = 0.046). Mortality was stable with time, but the prevalence of ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, acute renal failure, cardiogenic shock, total charges, and length of stay (LOS) increased with time (p < 0.05 for all). Compared to non-hypoglycemic patients, those who developed hypoglycemia were older and more likely to be black; only 6.7% had diabetes compared to 28.5% of STEMI patients (p = 0.001). Cardiovascular events were more likely to occur in hypoglycemia: mortality risk increased by almost 2.5-fold (adjusted OR = 2.625 [2.095–3.289]). There was a higher incidence of cardiogenic shock (adjusted OR = 1.718 [1.387–2.127]), atrial fibrillation (adjusted OR = 1.284 [1.025–1.607]), ventricular fibrillation (adjusted OR = 1.799 [1.406–2.301]), and acute renal failure (adjusted OR = 2.355 [1.902–2.917]). Patients who developed hypoglycemia were less likely to have PCI (OR = 0.596 [0.491–0.722]) but more likely to have CABG (OR = 1.792 [1.391–2.308]). They also had a longer in-hospital stay and higher charges/stay.

Conclusion

Hypoglycemia is a rare event in patients hospitalized with STEMI. However, it was found to have higher odds of mortality, arrhythmias, and other comorbidities, irrespective of diabetes.

American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Clinical Practice Guideline: Developing a Diabetes Mellitus Comprehensive Care Plan-2022 Update

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this clinical practice guideline is to provide updated and new evidence-based recommendations for the comprehensive care of persons with diabetes mellitus to clinicians, diabetes-care teams, other health care professionals and stakeholders, and individuals with diabetes and their caregivers.

METHODS

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinology selected a task force of medical experts and staff who updated and assessed clinical questions and recommendations from the prior 2015 version of this guideline and conducted literature searches for relevant scientific papers published from January 1, 2015, through May 15, 2022. Selected studies from results of literature searches composed the evidence base to update 2015 recommendations as well as to develop new recommendations based on review of clinical evidence, current practice, expertise, and consensus, according to established American Association of Clinical Endocrinology protocol for guideline development.

RESULTS

This guideline includes 170 updated and new evidence-based clinical practice recommendations for the comprehensive care of persons with diabetes. Recommendations are divided into four sections: (1) screening, diagnosis, glycemic targets, and glycemic monitoring; (2) comorbidities and complications, including obesity and management with lifestyle, nutrition, and bariatric surgery, hypertension, dyslipidemia, retinopathy, neuropathy, diabetic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease; (3) management of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes with antihyperglycemic pharmacotherapy and glycemic targets, type 1 diabetes with insulin therapy, hypoglycemia, hospitalized persons, and women with diabetes in pregnancy; (4) education and new topics regarding diabetes and infertility, nutritional supplements, secondary diabetes, social determinants of health, and virtual care, as well as updated recommendations on cancer risk, nonpharmacologic components of pediatric care plans, depression, education and team approach, occupational risk, role of sleep medicine, and vaccinations in persons with diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

This updated clinical practice guideline provides evidence-based recommendations to assist with person-centered, team-based clinical decision-making to improve the care of persons with diabetes mellitus.

Through the Looking Glass: The Paradoxical Evolution of Targeted Temperature Management for Comatose Survivors of Cardiac Arrest

For the past two decades, targeted temperature management (TTM) has been a staple in the care of comatose survivors following cardiac arrest. However, recent clinical trials have failed to replicate the benefit seen in earlier studies, bringing into question the very existence of such clinical practice. In this review, we explore clinical scenarios within critical care that appeared to share a similar fate, but in actuality changed the landscape of practice in a modern world. Accordingly, clinicians may apply these lessons to the utilization of TTM among comatose survivors following cardiac arrest, potentially paving way for a re-framing of clinical care amidst an environment where current data appears upside down in comparison to past successes.