Standardized Glycemic Management versus Conventional Glycemic Management and Postoperative Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery

Purpose Optimized postoperative blood glucose control can minimize postoperative complications. Conventional perioperative glycemic control protocol (CG), which has been routinely used in our institution, lacks detailed perioperative glycemic management. A new standardized glycemic control protocol (SG) was designed which employs frequent postoperative monitoring of blood glucose, more tightly targeted blood glucose control, and adjustment of insulin dosage prior to surgery. This study compared the efficacy of postoperative glycemic control and complications with the two protocols, CG and SG. Patients and Methods Three hundred and eighty type 2 diabetes patients who underwent elective surgeries were included in the study. Of those, 182 patients with CG were identified retrospectively as a historical control cohort. Additional 198 patients with SG were prospectively enrolled. Covariate imbalance was controlled using propensity score matching. Outcomes were evaluated using regression analysis clustered by type of surgery. Results The SG group had lower mean levels of postoperative 24-hr blood glucose than the CG group (β =-8.6 mg/dL; 95% CI (-16.5 to -7.9), p=0.042). In SG group, the incidence of ICU admission and of acute kidney injury after surgery was lower than in the CG group (OR 0.36; 95% CI (0.18-0.74), p=0.005 and OR=0.59; 95% CI (0.41-0.85), p=0.005, respectively). There was no significant difference in postoperative hypoglycemia, infection, cardiovascular complications, stroke, or mortality rate between the two groups. Conclusion For type 2 diabetes patients undergoing elective surgery, the SG protocol is more effective in controlling blood glucose. The protocol can also reduce the incidence of some postoperative complications compared to CG with no increased risk of hypoglycemia.