Intensive Insulin Therapy Reduces Mortality in Seriously Ill Children
A new European study suggests that intensive insulin therapy may reduce the risk of death, infection and the length of intensive care stays for seriously ill children,
Abnormally high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) often occurs in critically ill infants and children, and increases their risk of secondary infections and death.
"Targeting of blood glucose concentrations to age-adjusted normal fasting concentrations improved short-term outcome of patients in pediatric intensive care units. The effect on long-term survival, morbidity, and neurocognitive development needs to be investigated,"Dr. Greet Van den Berghe, of University Hospital Gasthuisberg and Catholic University Leuven, Belgium, and colleagues wrote in a journal news release.
