BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Actually tight glycemic control is a major concern in critical care. The objective of this study was to evaluate effectiveness and safety of Yale insulin infusion protocol in a Brazilian medical and surgical intensive care unit. METHODS: Retrospective, before-after cohort study. Selected end-points were mean blood glucose levels, time-to-reach target range of 80 - 140 mg/dL, and percent of blood glucose in target range and hypoglycemia incidence. RESULTS: Were studied 112 patients: 60 in control group (CG) and 52 in protocol group (PG). Bedside blood glucose was measured 5392 times for a mean value of 131.2 ± 14.7 mg/dL in the PG versus 2485 times for a mean value of 181.7 ± 36.1 mg/dL in the CG. Blood glucose values were in the target range 65% and 32% of the times, respectively for PG and CG groups (p < 0.001). The median time to reach glucose target range was 7 h (range 4 -10 h) for PG and 96 hr (range 46 - 278 h) for CG (p < 0.001). Incidence of severe hypoglycemia did not reach difference statistically significant: 4 patients in PG versus 2 patients in CG. CONCLUSIONS: Yale insulin infusion protocol was effective and safe to improve blood glucose control in a Brazilian medical and surgical intensive care unit.
Critical illness; hyperglycemia; insulin; intensive care; protocols
