Nurse-led implementation of an insulin-infusion protocol in a general intensive care unit: improved glycaemic control with increased costs and risk of hypoglycaemia signals need for algorithm revision

Table 2 Median arterial blood glucose

	All samples median (IQR)	≤12 hours in ICU median (IQR)	> 12 hours in ICU median (IQR)
Before algorithm (2004–5)	6.6 (5.6 – 7.7) n = 15009	7.1 (5.9 – 8.8) n = 1591	6.5 (5.6 – 7.6) n = 13418
After algorithm (2006)	5.9 (5.1 – 7.0) n = 24459	6.9 (5.4 – 8.6) n = 2928	5.9 (5.0 – 6.8) n = 21531

Median blood glucose values (IQR = interquartile range) of all samples obtained before and after implementation of an algorithm of strict glycaemic control. Differences between pre- and post algorithm values were significant for all subsets (Mann-Whitney's test). Mean blood glucose values in 2004–5 and 2006 were 6.82 and 6.25 mmol/L, respectively (mean difference 0.58 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval 0.54 to 0.62; p < 0.001; "mixed model analysis").

ISSN: 1472-6955