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Evidence summaries

Perioperative Glycaemic Control for Diabetic Patients Undergoing Surgery

Tight perioperative glycaemic control may not produce a beneficial net effect on the postoperative outcomes of patients with diabetes mellitus as compared with conventional perioperative blood glucose control. Tight control might possibly increase the probability of death from any cause Level of evidence: "C"

The quality of evidence is downgraded by study limitations (high loss to follow-up) and by imprecise results (wide confidence intervals).

Tight perioperative glycaemic control cannot be suggested over conventional blood glucose control.

Summary

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 12 trials with a total of 1403 patients to assess the effects of perioperative glycaemic control for diabetic patients undergoing surgery. Participants of any age, sex or ethnicity with previously diagnosed type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus were included. The duration of the intervention ranged from just the duration of the surgical procedure up to 90 days. In most trials, patients underwent cardiovascular surgeries. The main outcomes are summarized in table 1.

OutcomeNumber of participants (studies)Follow-upRelative effect(95% CI)
Death from any cause1365 (11)20 to 90 daysRR 1.19 (0.89 to 1.59)
Infectious complications627 (8)48 h to 90 daysRR 0.46 (0.18 to 1.18)
Cardiovascular events682 (6)4 to 30 daysRR 1.03 (0.21 to 5.13)
Renal failure434(2)48 h to 90 daysRR 0.61 (0.34 to 1.08)
Hypoglycaemic episodes724 (3)18 h to 90 daysRR 6.92 (2.04 to 23.41)

The total number of deaths from any cause was 83/680 (12.2%) in the intensive treatment group and 66/685 (9.6%) in the regular treatment group.

Clinical comments

Note

Date of latest search:

    References

    • Buchleitner AM, Martínez-Alonso M, Hernández M et al. Perioperative glycaemic control for diabetic patients undergoing surgery. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012;9:CD007315. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords