Add-on treatment with intermediate-acting insulin versus sliding-scale insulin for patients with type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance during cyclic glucocorticoid-containing antineoplastic chemotherapy: a randomized crossover study.

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness and safety of intermediate-acting insulin (IMI) titrated on body weight and glucocorticoid dose with that of short-acting sliding-scale insulin (SSI) in patients on recurrent high-dose glucocorticoid-containing chemotherapy. We enrolled 26 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus or random blood glucose level >12 mmol/l in a previous cycle of chemotherapy in a randomized crossover study. In two consecutive cycles of glucocorticoid-containing chemotherapy, participants were treated with either IMI or SSI, as add-on to routine diabetes medication. We compared time spent in target range (3.9-10 mmol/l), measured by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and the occurrence of hypoglycaemia. IMI resulted in a higher proportion of glucose values within target range than SSI (34.4 vs 20.9%; p < 0.001). There were no severe or symptomatic hypoglycaemic events. Two participants in each group had a subclinical hypoglycaemia detected only by CGM. Once-daily IMI resulted in better glycaemic control than SSI in patients with glucocorticoid-induced hyperglycaemia during chemotherapy. Safety was not compromised as the incidence of hypoglycaemia was low and not different between both regimens.

Physician's attitudes towards diagnosing and treating glucocorticoid induced hyperglycaemia: Sliding scale regimen is still widely used despite guidelines.

AIMS: Treatment with glucocorticoids for neoplasms and inflammatory disorders is frequently complicated by glucocorticoid induced hyperglycaemia (GCIH). GCIH is associated with adverse outcomes and its treatment has short term and long term benefits. Currently, treatment targets and modalities depend on local protocols and habits of individual clinicians. We explored current practice of screening and treatment of GCIH in patients receiving glucocorticoid pulse therapy. METHODS: A factorial survey with written case vignettes. All vignette patients received glucocorticoid pulse therapy. Other characteristics (e.g., indication for glucocorticoid therapy, pre-existent diabetes) varied. The survey was held between November 2013 and May 2014 on 2 nationwide conferences and in hospitals across The Netherlands. Pulmonologists and internists expressed their level of agreement with statements on ordering capillary glucose testing and treatment initiation. RESULTS: Respondents ordered screening for GCIH in 85% of vignette patients and initiated treatment in 56%. When initiating treatment, respondents opt for sliding scale insulin in 62% of patients. Sliding scale insulin was more frequently prescribed in patients with pre-existent insulin dependent diabetes (OR 2.4, CI 1.3-4.2) and by residents (vs. specialists, OR 2.1, CI 1.2-3.5). Sixty-nine percent of clinicians experienced a lack of guidelines for GCIH. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians have a strong tendency to screen for GCIH but subsequent initiation of treatment was low. Sliding scale insulin is still widely used in episodic GCIH despite evidence against its effectiveness. This may be due to lacking evidence on feasible treatment options for GCIH.

Optimal management of Graves orbitopathy: a multidisciplinary approach.

Graves' thyroid disease is a relatively common disorder in endocrinology and general internal medicine practice. Graves' hyperthyroidism is mediated by circulating stimulating autoantibodies. Up to 60% of patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism develop some form of Graves' orbitopathy. Immune reactivity to the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor is also thought to play a role in the immunopathogenesis of Graves' orbitopathy. Graves' orbitopathy is characterised by a wide open eye appearance, caused by upper eyelid retraction and soft-tissue swelling that causes exophthalmus. Symptoms include photophobia, sandy feeling in the eye, painful eye movements and diplopia. Visual acuity may be reduced. In some cases emergency treatment is necessary to prevent irreversible vision loss. Smoking should be stopped. Mild to moderate Graves' orbitopathy may be an indication for corticosteroid treatment or radiotherapy. Once inflammatory signs and symptoms have waned, surgery can be performed to correct residual diplopia, exophthalmus or lid retraction. The presence of Graves' orbitopathy has consequences for the management of Graves' hyperthyroidism. Adequately controlled Graves' thyroid dysfunction is likely to improve Graves' orbitopathy, while radioactive iodine treatment can worsen the condition. Due to the wide variety in clinical presentation and the possible interference between treatment of thyroid disease and eye disease, the management of more complicated patients with Graves' orbitopathy can best be performed in combined thyroid-eye clinics, in which the patient is seen simultaneously by the ophthalmologist and the endocrinologist.

Subjecting acute ischemic stroke patients to continuous tube feeding and an intensive computerized protocol establishes tight glycemic control.

INTRODUCTION: Tight glycemic control (TGC) after ischemic stroke may improve clinical outcome but previous studies failed to establish TGC, principally because of postprandial glucose surges. The aim of the present study was to investigate if safe, effective and feasible TGC can be achieved with continuous tube feeding and a computerized treatment protocol. METHODS: We subjected ten acute ischemic stroke patients with admission hyperglycemia (glucose >7.0 mmol/l (126.0 mg/dl)) to continuous tube feeding and a computerized intensive protocol with insulin adjustments every 1-2 h. Two groups of regularly fed patients from a previous study with a similar design served as controls. These groups comprised hyperglycemic patients treated according to an intermediate protocol with insulin adjustments at standard intervals (N = 13), and normoglycemic controls treated according to standard care (N = 15). The primary outcome was the percentage of time within target (4.4-6.1 mmol/l (79.2-109.8 mg/dl)). Secondary outcome was the number of patients with hypoglycemic episodes (glucose <3.0 mmol/l (54.0 mg/dl)). RESULTS: Median time within target was 55% in the continuously fed intensive group compared to 19% in the regularly fed intermediate group, and 58% in normoglycemic controls. Hypoglycemic episodes occurred in 20% of patients in the continuously fed group-lowest glucose level 2.4 mmol/l (43.2 mg/dl). In contrast, in the regularly fed group, this was 31%-lowest glucose level 1.6 mmol/l (28.8 mg/dl). CONCLUSIONS: TGC after acute ischemic stroke is feasible with continuous tube feeding and a computerized intensive treatment protocol. Although glycemic control is associated with hypoglycemia, no severe hypoglycemia occurred in the continuous tube feeding group.

Efficacy and safety of two 5 day insulin dosing regimens to achieve strict glycaemic control in patients with acute ischaemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: In patients with acute ischaemic stroke and hyperglycaemia, prolonged strict glycaemic control may improve clinical outcome. The question is how to achieve this prolonged strict glycaemic control. In this study, the efficacy and safety of two regimens with different basal to meal related insulin ratio are described. METHODS: 33 patients with ischaemic stroke and hyperglycaemia at admission were randomised in an open design to receive: (1) conventional glucose lowering therapy, (2) strict glucose control with predominantly basal insulin using intravenous insulin or (3) strict glucose control with predominantly meal related insulin using subcutaneous insulin in the first 5 days after stroke. The target range of glucose control for the last two groups was 4.4-6.1 mmol/l. 16 consecutive patients without hyperglycaemia at admission were included to serve as normoglycaemic controls. RESULTS: The median area under the curve (AUC) in the meal related insulin group was 386 mmol/l x 58 h (range 286-662) for days 2-5, and did not differ from the hyperglycaemic control group (median AUC 444 mmol/l x 58 h; range 388-620). There was also no difference in median AUC of the basal insulin group (453 mmol/l x 58 h, range 347-629) and the hyperglycaemic control group on days 2-5. In the first 12 hours, glucose profiles were lower in the groups treated with strict glucose control; median AUC was 90 mmol/l x 12 h (range 77-189) for the hyperglycaemic control group versus 81 mmol/l x 12 h (range 60-118) for the meal related insulin group (p = 0.03) and 74 mmol/l x 12 h (range 52-97) for the basal insulin group (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: In intermittently fed ischaemic stroke patients, strict glycaemic control between day 2 and day 5 with two different basal bolus regimens did not result in lower glucose profiles due to postprandial hyperglycaemia. Continuous enteral feeding may therefore be needed to achieve prolonged strict glycaemic control in acute stroke patients.

[Hyperglycaemia during hospitalisation]. / Hyperglykemie tijdens ziekenhuisopname.

Patients who are admitted to an intensive care unit for 3 days or longer have an increased survival rate if their blood-glucose levels are strictly controlled by means of intensive insulin therapy. This is true of patients admitted for either surgical or non-surgical indications. For patients undergoing cardiac surgery, strict peri- and postoperative glycaemic control lowers the postoperative complication rate and possibly also mortality. Patients suffering from an acute myocardial infarction, and possibly also patients with acute ischaemic stroke, are likely to benefit from strict glycaemic control. The value of treating hyperglycaemia in other patient groups has not been established. The workload on the nursing staff and the risk of prolonged and serious hypoglycaemia are the most important disadvantages of strict glycaemic control. The optimal duration of strict glycaemic control and the precise target range are not well defined and may well differ per patient group.

The use of two continuous glucose sensors during and after surgery.

BACKGROUND: Maintaining plasma glucose between 80 and 120 mg/dL is beneficial for patients admitted to a surgical intensive care unit, but requires frequent glucose monitoring to ensure adequacy of treatment and detection of hypoglycemia. We examined whether continuous glucose sensing is feasible and reliable during and after major surgical procedures using two commercially available sensors. METHODS: Eight patients undergoing abdominal surgery were studied. A CGMS device (Medtronic MiniMed, Northridge, CA) and a GlucoDay device (A. Menarini Diagnostics, Florence, Italy) were placed in the shoulder region, and a second GlucoDay device was placed in the upper leg. Blood glucose was measured every 15 min for a total duration of 12 h. RESULTS: Technical failure of the CGMS was observed peroperatively more frequently than postoperatively (66% of all time points vs. 18%, P < 0.001). Technical failure of the GlucoDay device occurred most frequently in the GlucoDay placed in the upper leg (64% vs. 17%, P < 0.001). Accuracy of all three sensors was comparable peroperatively (74%, 76%, and 63% of values in Zone A of the Clarke error grid for the CGMS, GlucoDay shoulder, and GlucoDay upper leg, respectively, P = 0.2). Postoperatively, better accuracy was observed in both sensors placed in the shoulder compared with the GlucoDay placed in the upper leg (73%, 69%, and 51% of values in Zone A for the CGMS, GlucoDay shoulder, and GlucoDay upper leg, respectively, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Technical performance and accuracy of continuous glucose sensors need improvement before continuous glucose sensors can be used to monitor strict glycemic control during and after surgery.

Early post-operative glucose levels are an independent risk factor for infection after peripheral vascular surgery. A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether hyperglycaemia in the first 48 h after infrainguinal vascular surgery is a risk factor for post-operative infection, independent from factors associated with insulin resistance and surgical stress. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent infrainguinal vascular surgery in our hospital between March 1998 and March 2003 were included. Glucose values until 48 h after surgery were retrieved from laboratory reports. Post-operative infections, treated with antibiotics, during hospital stay were scored until 30 days after surgery. Data were analysed with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: At least one post-operative glucose value was retrieved for 211/275 (77%) patients. The incidence of post-operative infections was 84/275 (31%). When corrected for factors associated with insulin resistance and surgical stress, post-operative glucose levels were found to be an independent risk factor for post-operative infections (odds ratio top quartile versus lowest quartile: 5.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.6-17.1; P=0.007). CONCLUSION: Post-operative glucose levels appear to be an independent risk factor for infections after infrainguinal vascular surgery. This finding requires confirmation in a prospective study.