Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) in inpatient setting: unmet needs and the proposal of a CSII unit

Abstract

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) represents an increasingly popular method of treating diabetes. Patients with diabetes are often hospitalized, and current data indicate that inpatient hyperglycemia results in poorer outcomes. When patients on insulin pump therapy require hospitalization, practitioners caring for them face the issue of how to manage the inpatient care of these patients. We believe that patients using insulin pumps can safely have their therapy transitioned when hospitalized. Moreover, CSII during hospitalization should be regarded not only as a fundamental tool in patients already on insulin pump therapy, but also as an effective method to obtain euglycemia, in critically ill patients. However, a standard policy on CSII use during hospitalization is still lacking, and literature data are inconclusive about the benefits of insulin pump on glycemic homeostasis, in hospitalized patients. We suggest that a CSII unit should be activated inside the hospital, in order to increase compliance with required procedures and to properly address the unmet needs of CSII in inpatient setting.