title: Glycemic control with use of insulin glargine after cardiothoracic surgery: a retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Perioperative glycemic control in critically ill cardiothoracic surgery patients may improve postsurgical outcomes. The objective of the study was to compare outcomes before and after the implementation of a protocol using subcutaneous (SC) glargine at transition from intravenous insulin infusion (IVII).
  
  
  METHODS
  In August 2006, the Cleveland Clinic began using glargine and supplemental rapid-acting sliding scale insulin (SSI) at transition from IVII (glargine-SSI group). Before August 2006, only supplemental insulin was used (SSI-only group). The primary outcome was first blood glucose (BG1) after discontinuation of IVII. Secondary outcomes included the absolute difference between the last glucose before discontinuation of IVII (BG0) and BG1, mean glucose in the first 24 hours after discontinuation of IVII (BG24), need for SSI, and hypoglycemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean BG0, BG1, and BG24, and the difference between BG1 and BG0 and between BG24 and BG0 were not significantly different between groups. Diabetes mellitus (DM) patients who had received glargine had a lower mean difference between BG1 and BG0 and a lower mean BG24 than those who had not received glargine (14.6 mg/dL vs. 33.1 mg/dL; P = .20, and 163.8 mg/dL vs. 177.9 mg/dL; P = .29, respectively). A higher proportion of DM patients needed SSI than did non-DM patients (82% vs. 36%; P<.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Glargine administered at the cessation of IVII enabled less SSI coverage in diabetic patients subsequent to transition from IVII. However, there was no significant difference in BG control between the glargine-SSI and SSI-only groups. Prospective studies involving more patients are needed to show possible clinically significant benefits of this intervention.
authors: Endocrinology and Metabolism Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. ergina@ccf.org
authors: Ahmet Bahadir
authors: AB
authors: Ergin
authors: Gaelle
authors: G
authors: Nasr
authors: Jean-Pierre
authors: JP
authors: Yared
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Bena
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Nasr
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000069036:Insulin Glargine; D049528:Insulin, Long-Acting / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D049528:Insulin, Long-Acting; D000069036:Insulin Glargine