- Poster presentation
- Open Access
Glargine insulin: an alternative to regular insulin for glycemic control in critically ill patients
- Published: 22 March 2007
Keywords
- Hypoglycemia
- Glycemic Control
- Glargine Insulin
- Insulin Infusion
- Regular Insulin
Introduction
The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous (s.c.) once-daily (OD) glargine insulin, a long-acting insulin, in comparison with a s.c. regular insulin, based on a protocolized sliding scale regimen for achieving glycemic control in patients admitted to the ICU.
Methods
One hundred patients admitted to the ICU with an admission capillary blood glucose (CBG) >150 mg/dl (8.3 mmol/l) were involved in this prospective, randomized study. Patients with age <18 years, pregnancy, shock, requiring continuous intravenous insulin infusion, renal failure were excluded. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either s.c. glargine insulin 10 U (CBG ≤ 9.9 mmol/l) or 18 U (CBG ≥ 10.1 mmol/l) s.c. OD (Group G, n = 50), or s.c. regular insulin based on a 6-hourly sliding scale (Group R, n = 50). CBGs were recorded at 6-hour intervals up to 96 hours or until ICU discharge, whichever was earlier. The target CBG in both groups was <150 mg/dl (8.3 mmol/l). Patients in group G received rescue doses of regular insulin, as required. Demographic characteristics, mean and median CBG, and episodes of hypoglycemia were studied.
Results
Median capillary blood glucose (CBG) at different time points.
Conclusion
OD s.c. glargine insulin is a safe and effective alternative to regular insulin for glycemic control in critically ill patients.