Early postoperative hyperglycaemia is not a risk factor for infectious complications and prolonged in-hospital stay in patients undergoing oesophagectomy: a retrospective analysis of a prospective trial

Titia M. Vriesendorp, J. Hans DeVries, Jan B. F. Hulscher, Frits Holleman, Jan J. van Lanschot, Joost B. L. Hoekstra

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Treating hyperglycaemia in hospitalized patients has proven to be beneficial, particularly in those with obstructive vascular disease. In a cohort of patients undergoing resection for oesophageal carcinoma (a group of patients with severe surgical stress but a low prevalence of vascular disease), we investigated whether early postoperative hyperglycaemia is associated with increased incidence of infectious complications and prolonged in-hospital stay. METHODS: Postoperative glucose values up to 48 hours after surgery were retrieved for 151 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists class I or II who had been previously included in a randomized trial conducted in a tertiary referral hospital. Multivariate regression analysis was used to define the independent contribution of possible risk factors selected by univariate analysis. RESULTS: In univariate regression analysis, postoperative glucose levels were associated with increased length of in-hospital stay (P <0.001) but not with infectious complications (P = 0.21). However, postoperative glucose concentration was not found to be an independent risk factor for prolonged in-hospital stay in multivariate analysis (P = 0.20). CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that postoperative hyperglycaemia is more likely to be a risk marker than a risk factor in patients undergoing highly invasive surgery for oesophageal cancer. We hypothesize that patients with a low prevalence of vascular disease may benefit less from intensive insulin therapy
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)R437-R442
JournalCritical care (London, England)
Volume8
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2004

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