Background
Blood glucose control is an important factor in improving outcome of diabetic patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
Objective
Is to estimate the relation between blood glucose control and perioperative outcomes in these patients.
Study design
Prospective cohort study.
Methods
One hundred diabetic patients undergoing cardiac surgery, were divided into group I () in whom no tight glycemic control was done and group II () in which tight glycemic control was done. Patients in the study group received intra-operatively an infusion of rapidly acting insulin according to a modified protocol to keep blood glucose level between 80 and 110 mg/dl and continued in the ICU until complete recovery from anesthesia. Patients in the control group followed the same protocol of insulin infusion only if their peri-operative blood glucose level exceeded 180 mg/dl.
Results
There was a rise of blood glucose level in the control group patients till the end of operations (mean level = 227 mg/dl). Mean blood glucose level before CPB was comparable in the two groups, but was significantly different after that until extubation. We reported three cases of delayed recovery in the control group compared to one case in the study group. We also recorded four cases of cardiac problems in group I compared to one case in group II ( = 0.044). There was statistically significant difference between groups regarding renal, neurological and surgical post-operative complications.
Conclusion
Tight glycemic control is recommended for better patient’s outcome after cardiac anesthesia.