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Computer‐Assisted Glucose Regulation During Rapid Step‐Wise Increases of Parenteral Nutrition in Critically Ill Patients
Author(s) -
Hoekstra Miriam,
Schoorl Michiel A.,
Horst Iwan C. C.,
Vogelzang Mathijs,
Wietasch J. K. Götz,
Zijlstra Felix,
Nijsten Maarten W. N.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.935
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1941-2444
pISSN - 0148-6071
DOI - 10.1177/0148607110372390
Subject(s) - parenteral nutrition , critically ill , intensive care medicine , medicine , critical illness
Background: Early delivery of calories is important in critically ill patients, and the administration of parenteral nutrition (PN) is sometimes required to achieve this goal. However, PN can induce acute hyperglycemia, which is associated with adverse outcome. We hypothesized that initiation of PN using a rapid “step‐up” approach, coupled with a computerized insulin‐dosing protocol, would result in a desirable caloric intake within 24 hours without causing hyperglycemia. Methods: In our surgical intensive care unit (ICU), glucose is regulated by a nurse‐centered computerized glucose regulation program. When adequate enteral feeding was not possible, PN was initiated according to a simple step‐up rule at an infusion rate of 10 mL/h (approximately 10 kcal/h) and subsequently increased by steps of 10 mL/h every 4 hours, provided glucose was <10 mmol/L, until the target caloric intake (1 kcal/kg/h) was reached. All glucose levels and insulin doses were collected during the step‐up period and for 24 hours after achieving target feeding. Results: In all 23 consecutive patients requiring PN, mean intake was 1 kcal/kg/h within 24 hours. Of the 280 glucose samples during the 48‐hour study period, mean ± standard deviation glucose level was 7.4 ± 1.4 mmol/L. Only 4.5% of glucose measurements during the step‐up period were transiently ≥10 mmol/L. After initiating PN, the insulin requirement rose from 1.1 ± 1.5 units/h to 2.9 ± 2.5 units/h ( P < .001). Conclusions: This proof of concept study shows that rapid initiation of PN using a step‐up approach coupled with computerized glucose control resulted in adequate caloric intake within 24 hours while maintaining adequate glycemic control.