Maintaining critically ill patients' glucose levels once they have left the intensive care unit through hospital discharge, may help bolster better outcomes, according to a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Researchers examined nearly 6,400 ICU patients with five or more blood glucose tests. They also studied nearly 4,500 ICU survivors admitted at two academic medical centers between July 2010 and December 2014.
Here are three insights:
1. Blood glucose level monitoring and maintenance of patients transferred back into general care after the ICU is important as "dysglycemia (hyper, hypo and glucose variability)…were all independently associated with mortality in patients without diabetes," said study author James Krinsley, MD, director of critical care at Stamford (Conn.) Hospital and clinical professor of medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians.
2. The study shows for patients without diabetes, a blood glucose range of 80-140 mg/dL as mean glucose level, is strongly linked with survival in the ICU and general care.
3. However, there was no significant association between blood glucose level for patients with diabetes and mortality.
More articles on healthcare quality:
Scientists push for stricter regulations on antimicrobial chemicals in household items
3 recommendations to reduce infection risk in total hip, knee replacement patients
Study: Hospitals need pet therapy guidelines to limit infection risks