Glycemic control with a basal-bolus insulin protocol in hospitalized diabetic patients treated with glucocorticoids: a retrospective cohort study

Improved glycemic control is the desired outcome after the discharge of patients with diabetes. We aimed to determine the efficacy of a basal-bolus insulin protocol in hospitalized patients with diabetes treated with glucocorticoids.

A retrospective cohort study compared the glycemic control of 150 hospitalized patients with diabetes and elevated inflammatory markers who were either treated with (n = 61) or without glucocorticoids (n = 89). All patients were treated with a basal-bolus regimen.

Glycosylated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) levels, mode of diabetes treatment before admission, length of hospitalization and inflammatory markers were similar in both groups of patients (treated and untreated with glucocorticoid). There was a trend toward female predominance in the glucocorticoid-treated group. Mean daily glucose levels were higher in patients taking glucocorticoids when compared with untreated patients (12.5 ± 2.7 mmol/l vs. 10.9 ± 2.4 mmol/l, p < .0001), and significantly higher at 5:00 PM (13.1 ± 3.4 vs. 10.2 ± 3 mmol/l, p < .0001), and 8:00 P.M. (13.9 ± 4.1 mmol/l vs. 11 ± 3.1 mmol/l, p < 0.001) . No difference was detected between the two groups in prandial and basal insulin doses during hospitalization. Overall, 64% of patients in the glucocorticoid-treated group versus 39% in the untreated group had inadequate glycemic control during hospitalization (p = 0.003).