Clinical analysis of blood glucose and insulin levels in critically ill children

Abstract

Objective To analyse the changes of blood glucose and insulin levels in children with critical illness,and to investigate the mechanism of hyperglycemia in critical illness.Methods Blood glucose and insulin levels were detected among 51 critically ill children hospitalized in our PICU from January to December,2007,which were compared with those of 15 healthy children.Results (1) All the patients had hyperglycemia after admission within 2Ah,septic shock patients showed the highest level with the maximum value of 27.30 mmol/L The dally mean blood glucose levels of the first 5 days after admission peaked on the admission day.(2) Within 24 h after admission,the blood insulin levels of patients with pulmonary infection,intracranial infection,septic shock and congenital heart disease were(17.65±16.85) mU/L,(13.45±7.33) mU/L,(16.24±12.41) mU/L,(6.75±3.22) mU/L respectively.The blood insulin levels of all the patients within the first 5 days after admission wrere higher than that of healthy children[(8.70±6.57) mU/L].According to blood glucose level on admission day,the patients were divided into normoglycemia and hyperglycemia group,and the blood insulin levels of the former and the letter were(5.44 ± 3.38) mU/L and (14.22±12.29) mU/L respectively.(3) The mean of PIM Ⅱscore of the patients averaged 12.96±16.82,and the mortality rate was 15.6%.The blood glucose level and the insulin level within 24 h after admission were(10.97±5.76) mmol/L and(49.46±90.35) mU/L in dead cases and(8.73±2.58) mmol/L and(11.91±11.24) mU/L for the survivals,and both the blood glucose level and insulin level had significant difference between the dead cases and survivals(P ＜0.05).(4) The scatter graphic analysis did not show significant linear relation between blood glucose and insulin,nor did it show significant linear relation between PIM Ⅱ and insulin levei,or blood glucose.Condusion Hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia are common in critical illness,which reflects indirectly the severity and prognosis of the disease.Hyperglycemia may be related to relative insulin insufficiency or insulin resistance;however,the definite relationship can not be confirmed until more reliable clinical data were available in the future. Key words: Critical illness; Hyperglycemia; Insulin resistance; Prognosis; Children