The relationship of blood glucose to severity of injury in multiple trauma patients before operation

ABSTRACT

Background:Recent international researches in trauma patients have shown that hyperglycemia usually goes along with increased mortality, ventilator time and post-operative complications. The role of blood glucose in trauma prognosis and treatment is a current concern. Objective: To evaluate blood glucose change and the relationship of hyperglycemia to severity of injury in the clinical in multiple trauma patients before operation. Subjects and method: A prospective, descriptive study was conducted at the Emergency Surgery Unit and Post-anesthesia Care Unit, Department of Anesthesia and Recovery, Viet Duc hospital, from March to September/2006. The participants were over 15 years old, multiple trauma patients who were operated within 48 hours after the accident, but they had not been used inotrope, sedatives and operated in other clinical. Results: Hypoglycemia (under 3.5 mmol/l) was seen in 4/926 multiple trauma patients. Three of four were in shock due to severe blood loss, of which 2 patients had breath and cardiac arrest. Both patients died from multi-organ dysfunction immediately and one week after operation. The average blood glucose level of patients with ISS 25-40 and over 40 was significantly higher than those with ISS 16-24. Hyperglycemia had a closely positive association with ISS (r=0.48, p< 0.01). Conclusion: Most of multiple trauma patients have hyperglycemia before operation. Hyperglycemia has a relationship with severity of injury, especially with severity of anatomical injury. 4.1% patients have hypoglycemia which is mainly associative with prolonged shock.