Anesthesiologists Say Research on Hyperglycemia and SSI “Not Ready for Prime Time”

In an article published in the Archives of Surgery, three anesthesiologists criticize a previous article that concluded “aggressive early postoperative glycemic control should reduce the incidence of [surgical site infections].”

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The authors — Andrew D. Pitkin, MD, Douglas Coursin, MD, and Mark Rice, MD, from the Departments of Anesthesiology at University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville (Drs. Pitkin and Rice) and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison (Dr. Coursin) — say it does not automatically follow that interventions to reduce the incidence of hyperglycemia will be beneficial for the patient.

The anesthesiologists wrote, “It is concerning that the authors make no mention of the method or site (e.g. venous, arterial or capillary) of serum glucose measurement. Were glucose measurements obtained using an accurate central laboratory device or a portable glucose meter (which may be dangerously inaccurate, especially in the hypoglycemic range)?”

The authors also express concern that data are not presented on how many patients without known diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose were hyperglycemic and included in the study.

Read the extract from the article published in the Archives of Surgery.

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