Blood Glucose Control With A Software-Algorithm In Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Patients

Hyperglycemia is common in critically ill patients and associated with an adverse outcome. Recently, large randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that tight glycaemic control (TGC) reduces morbidity and mortality in this population. Based on this emerging evidence intensive insulin therapy is currently finding its way into the critical care practice. In the meantime numerous insulin infusion protocols, which are based on frequent bedside glucose monitoring, have been implemented. Recent reviews comparing different types of protocols describe widely ranging practice and difficulties in achieving TGC despite extensive efforts of the intensive care unit (ICU) staff. A fully automated algorithm may help to overcome some of these limitations by excluding intuitive interventions and integrating relevant clinical data in the decision-making process. The primary objective of the current study is to investigate the performance (efficacy) of a control algorithm for glycaemic control in ICU patients for the whole length of ICU stay.