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Efficacy and Safety of Three Insulin Protocols in Medical Intensive Care Unit Patients

Randomized Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Two Endovenous Insulin Protocols and a Subcutaneous Insulin Protocol in Critically Ill Patients

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00410852
Enrollment
168
Registered
2006-12-13
Start date
2005-05-31
Completion date
2007-03-31
Last updated
2007-11-02

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Intensive Care

Keywords

Insulin, Hyperglycemia, Hypoglycemia, Intensive care, Critical care

Brief summary

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of three insulin algorithms in medical ICU patients (MICU).

Detailed description

Strict glycemic control has been recommended for critically ill patients. However, its implementation may face difficulties with increased nursing workload, inadequate glucose control and higher risk of hypoglycemia. We designed a computer guided protocol to adjust endovenous insulin infusion aiming glucose levels between 100mg/dl and 130 mg/dl. This trial evaluates the efficacy and safety of this protocol (algorithm A), compared to a standard endovenous insulin infusion protocol (algorithm B) and a conventional subcutaneous insulin protocol (algorithm C). Methods : MICU patients with at least one blood glucose ≥ 150 mg/dL and who are on mechanical ventilation, or had SIRS, or are admitted because of trauma or burn will be randomized to one of the following treatments: algorithm A - continuous insulin infusion with adjustments guided by hand held device or desktop software targeting glucose levels between 100mg/dL-130mg/dL; algorithm B - continuous insulin aiming glucose levels between 80mg/dl-110mg/dl using Van den Berghe's insulin protocol; algorithm C - conventional treatment - intermittent subcutaneous administration of insulin if blood glucose levels exceeds 150mg/dL; insulin will be administered as IV boluses in hypotensive patients. The randomization list was generated in blocks of six by computer software. Patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to have their glucose controlled by one of the three insulin algorithms with the use of a central, computerized system accessed by Internet, permitting concealment of allocation list. Randomization will be stratified according to study site. The study is planned to enroll 165 patients in order to have 80% power to detect a 20mg/dl difference in blood glucose means between groups, assuming standard deviation equal to 33 mg/dl and two-tailed alpha equal to 0.05. Efficacy will be measured by the mean of patients' median blood glucose and safety measured by the incidence of hypoglycemia (≤40 mg/dL). Analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle.

Interventions

PROCEDUREComputer-assisted IV insulin infusion protocol (algorithm A)

Computer assisted insulin protocol (CAIP), with continuous intravenous insulin adjustments aiming blood glucose levels between 100 mg/dl and 130 mg/dl.

PROCEDURELeuven Strict glycemic control protocol (Algorithm B)

Leuven protocol: continuous intravenous insulin infusion aimiming blood glucose levels between 80mg/dl and 110mg/dl.

PROCEDUREConventional Intermittent Insulin Protocol (Algorithm C)

Conventional treatment: intermitent subcutaneous insulin according to a sliding scale, starting with blood glucose levels higher than 150mg/dl.

Sponsors

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
CollaboratorOTHER_GOV
Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
21 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Criteria 1, 2 and 3 must be present: 1. Clinical patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit 2. At least one blood glucose measurement \>= 150 mg/dL (capilar, venous or arterial blood) 3. At least one of the following: 1. Patient on mechanical ventilation for an acute process, with expected duration of mechanical ventilation of at least 24 hours 2. Polytrauma patients 3. Severe burn patients 4. Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (modified criteria), with at least three of the following: core temperature \>=38°C or \<=36°C; heart rate \>=90 beats/min, except in patients with a medical condition or receiving a medication known to prevent tachycardia; respiratory heart rate \>= 20 breaths/min or a PaCO2 \<=32mmHg, or the use of mechanical ventilation for an acute process; white-cell count of \>=12.000/mm3 or \<=4.000/mm3 or a differential count showing \>10% percent immature neutrophils

Exclusion criteria

* Age \< 21 years * Surgical patients (surgery less than 24hs before admission to ICU) * Diabetic ketoacidosis * Non-ketotic hyperosmolar state * Patients with defined diagnosis of brain death * Moribund state in which death is perceived to be imminent

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Efficacy: mean of patients' median blood glucose during ICU stayICU Stay
Safety: incidence of hypoglycemia (≤40 mg/dL)during ICU stayICU stay

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
Initiation of dialysis
Death from any causeICU and in-hospital
ICU and hospital length of stayICU and in-hospital
Five-day variation in SOFA scoreFive days
90-day health status90 days
Days on inotropic of vasopressor support
Necessity of red blood cell transfusions
Bilirubin peak
Platelets through
Days on antibiotics
Days on mechanical ventilation

Countries

Brazil

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026