Clinical Impact of Accurate Point-of-Care Glucose Monitoring for Tight Glycemic Control in Severely Burned Children

Nam K. Tran, Zachary R. Godwin, Amanda N. Steele, Steven E. Wolf, Tina L. Palmieri

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives: The goal of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the clinical impact of an accurate autocorrecting blood glucose monitoring system in children with severe burns. Blood glucose monitoring system accuracy is essential for providing appropriate intensive insulin therapy and achieving tight glycemic control in critically ill patients. Unfortunately, few comparison studies have been performed to evaluate the clinical impact of accurate blood glucose monitoring system monitoring in the high-risk pediatric burn population. Design: Retrospective analysis of an electronic health record system. Setting: Pediatric burn ICU at an academic medical center. Patients: Children (aged < 18 yr) with severe burns (≥ 20% total body surface area) receiving intensive insulin therapy guided by either a noncorrecting (blood glucose monitoring system-1) or an autocorrecting blood glucose monitoring system (blood glucose monitoring system-2). Measurements and Main Results: Patient demographics, insulin rates, and blood glucose monitoring system measurements were collected. The frequency of hypoglycemia and glycemic variability was compared between the two blood glucose monitoring system groups. A total of 122 patient charts from 2001 to 2014 were reviewed. Sixty-three patients received intensive insulin therapy using blood glucose monitoring system-1 and 59 via blood glucose monitoring system-2. Patient demographics were similar between the two groups. Mean insulin infusion rates (5.1 ± 3.8 U/hr; n = 535 paired measurements vs 2.4 ± 1.3 U/hr; n = 511 paired measurements; p < 0.001), glycemic variability, and frequency of hypoglycemic events (90 vs 12; p < 0.001) were significantly higher in blood glucose monitoring system-1-treated patients. Compared with laboratory measurements, blood glucose monitoring system-2 yielded the most accurate results (mean ± sd bias: -1.7 ± 6.9 mg/dL [-0.09 ± 0.4 mmol/L] vs 7.4 ± 13.5 mg/dL [0.4 ± 0.7 mmol/L]). Blood glucose monitoring system-2 patients achieve glycemic control more quickly (5.7 ± 4.3 vs 13.1 ± 6.9 hr; p< 0.001) and stayed within the target glycemic control range longer compared with blood glucose monitoring system-1 patients (85.2% ± 13.9% vs 57.9% ± 29.1%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Accurate autocorrecting blood glucose monitoring system optimizes intensive insulin therapy, improves tight glycemic control, and reduces the risk of hypoglycemia and glycemic variability. The use of an autocorrecting blood glucose monitoring system for intensive insulin therapy may improve glycemic control in severely burned children.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)e406-e412
JournalPediatric Critical Care Medicine
Volume17
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1 2016
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
  • Food and Drug Administration
  • hypermetabolism
  • intensive insulin therapy
  • pediatrics
  • point-of-care testing

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Clinical Impact of Accurate Point-of-Care Glucose Monitoring for Tight Glycemic Control in Severely Burned Children'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this