title: [Clinical study of the month. Toxicity of hyperglycemia in intensive care and beneficial effects of optimized insulin therapy].
abstract: A large Belgian, prospective, controlled study was performed in 1.548 critically ill patients (83% without history of diabetes) hospitalised in a surgical intensive care unit. On admission, patients were randomly assigned to receive intensive intravenous insulin therapy (maintenance of blood glucose at a level between 80 and 110 mg/dl) or conventional treatment (infusion of insulin only if the blood glucose level exceeded 215 mg/dl and maintenance of glucose at a level between 180 and 200 mg/dl). Intensive insulin therapy reduced morbidity and mortality by 40%. These remarkable results should influence further therapeutical attitudes in intensive care units and open new perspectives for the management of critically ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Service de Diabétologie, Université de Liège.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Scheen
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose; D016638:Critical Illness; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D009026:Mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin