Diabetes technology & therapeutics
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Diabetes Technol. Ther. · Feb 2017
Impact of a Paper-Based Dynamic Insulin Infusion Protocol on Glycemic Variability, Time in Target, and Hypoglycemic Risk: A Stepped Wedge Trial in Medical Intensive Care Unit Patients.
Stress-induced hyperglycemia is a common feature of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Besides mean blood glucose (BG) level, glucose variability and hypoglycemia have been highlighted as independent predictors of ICU and hospital mortality. Recent ICU recommendations suggest using insulin infusion protocols that can minimize glucose variability and hypoglycemic risk. Our aim was to assess the efficacy, safety, and acceptance by nurses of a paper-based simple dynamic insulin protocol compared with those by nurses of a paper-based static protocol. ⋯ Our simple and feasible paper-based, dynamic insulin infusion protocol reduced glycemic variability and hypoglycemic risk in a medical ICU.