Oral Hydration for Mild to Moderate Hyperglycemia in the Emergency Department

Diabetes and high blood sugar are extremely common among patients presenting to US Emergency Departments. Intravenous fluids with or without insulin are often used to treat these patients. However, simple, low-cost interventions, such oral hydration have not been studied in this context. Oral rehydration may be better than no therapy at all, which is often what these patients receive in the first few hours when presenting to busy, overcrowded Emergency Department (ED) with long wait times, or in resource-poor environments such as developing countries. The investigators propose a study to see if oral hydration for adult patients presenting to the ED with high blood sugar i.e. finger-stick (FS) values between 250 and 500 mg/dL can help lower blood sugar at the same rate as intravenous fluids. Half the patients will be given intravenous fluids per our department protocol, while the other half of the patients will be given 2 liters of water to drink over a 1-hour period. Both groups will have their blood sugar measured every 30 mins for 2 hours. The investigators will analyze the data to determine if there is a statistically significant difference in blood sugar between the two groups within 2 hours.

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Key information

Conditions

Hyperglycemia Glucose Metabolism Disorders Metabolic Diseases Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California, 90033, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Any patient, above the age of 18 years old, presenting to Emergency Department triage with a fingerstick glucose between 250 and 500 mg/dL

Exclusion criteria

Patients with evidence of DKA (hyperglycemia with ketonuria and abnormal pH or bicarbonate on venous blood gas), HHS, or other critical illnesses requiring immediate medical attention (as determined by ED triage nurses),
end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis through an arterio-venous shunt or fistula,
abnormal mental status (GCS < 15),
unstable vital signs including pulse > 100, SBP < 100, respiratory rate>20, (or any combination of vital signs not meeting these cutoffs but deemed worrisome by the triage nurse) or unable to tolerate oral intake/actively vomiting.
Patients who receive IV fluids prior to or during the study period.
Patients unable to communicate in English or Spanish.
Jail patients will also be excluded.

Treatment and study plan

Oral water

Other

2 Liters of water given orally

Intravenous normal saline

Other

2 Liters Intravenous normal saline

Primary outcomes

Change in Blood Sugar

Time frame: 2 hours

Patients will have their blood sugar checked every 30 minutes for 2 hours

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Southern California

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2011
Primary completion: 2011
First posted: Jul 25, 2011
Registry last updated: Jul 25, 2011

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed