Intensive Insulin Therapy in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Several prospective cohort studies as well as randomized clinical trials (RCT) in cardiac surgery patients have shown that intensified insulin therapy (target BG: 110-140 mg/dl) results in a reduction in short- and long-term mortality compared with conventionally treated patients. The results of recent international trials in critically ill patients; however, have failed to show a significant improvement in mortality or have even shown increased mortality risk as well as increased number of hypoglycemic events with intensive compared to less intensive glycemic control. Based on the results of these ICU trials, new ADA and AACE guidelines recommended a glycemic target between 140 and 180 mg/dl in the ICU including cardiac surgery patients. There is concern that such high BG targets might increase the risk of hospital complications in cardiac surgical patients in whom intensive glucose control has consistently reduced infections, length of hospital stay, resource utilization, and cardiac-related mortality. The overall objective of this proposal is to conduct the first prospective RCT to determine the optimal BG target during the perioperative period in hyperglycemic subjects who undergo CABG in the United States. Subjects will be randomized to undergo intensive insulin therapy adjusted to maintain a BG between 100 mg/dl and 140 mg/dl or to a conventional glucose control with a target BG between 141 mg/dl and 200 mg/dl in the ICU. The central hypothesis of this proposal is that intensive insulin management will reduce perioperative complications compared to a conventional BG control in cardiac surgery patients.