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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2012 Oct 2;16(5):R175.
doi: 10.1186/cc11657.

Glycemic variability and glucose complexity in critically ill patients: a retrospective analysis of continuous glucose monitoring data

Richard Brunner, Gabriel Adelsmayr, Harald Herkner, Christian Madl, Ulrike Holzinger
Randomized Controlled Trial

Glycemic variability and glucose complexity in critically ill patients: a retrospective analysis of continuous glucose monitoring data

Richard Brunner et al. Crit Care. .

Abstract

Introduction: Glycemic variability as a marker of endogenous and exogenous factors, and glucose complexity as a marker of endogenous glucose regulation are independent predictors of mortality in critically ill patients. We evaluated the impact of real time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) on glycemic variability in critically ill patients on intensive insulin therapy (IIT), and investigated glucose complexity--calculated using detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA)--in ICU survivors and non-survivors.

Methods: Retrospective analysis were conducted of two prospective, randomized, controlled trials in which 174 critically ill patients either received IIT according to a real-time CGM system (n = 63) or according to an algorithm (n = 111) guided by selective arterial blood glucose measurements with simultaneously blinded CGM for 72 hours. Standard deviation, glucose lability index and mean daily delta glucose as markers of glycemic variability, as well as glucose complexity and mean glucose were calculated.

Results: Glycemic variability measures were comparable between the real time CGM group (n = 63) and the controls (n = 111). Glucose complexity was significantly lower (higher DFA) in ICU non-survivors (n = 36) compared to survivors (n = 138) (DFA: 1.61 (1.46 to 1.68) versus 1.52 (1.44 to 1.58); P = 0.003). Diabetes mellitus was significantly associated with a loss of complexity (diabetic (n = 33) versus non-diabetic patients (n = 141) (DFA: 1.58 (1.48 to 1.65) versus 1.53 (1.44 to 1.59); P = 0.01).

Conclusions: IIT guided by real time CGM did not result in significantly reduced glycemic variability. Loss of glucose complexity was significantly associated with mortality and with the presence of diabetes mellitus.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Relation between glucose complexity and mortality. Relation between glucose complexity and mortality can be described best with a quadratic function showing a pronounced increase in mortality with higher DFA and a moderate increase in mortality with very low DFA.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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