Perioperative Insulin, GIK or GLP-1 Treatment in Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is associated with poor outcome after surgery. The prevalence of diabetes in hospitalised patients is up to 40%, meaning that the anaesthesiologist will encounter a diabetes patient in the operating room on a daily basis. Multiple protocols for perioperative glucose regulation have been developed, ranging from intravenous glucose-insulin-potassium infusion to subcutaneous bolus regimens. Despite this abundance of published glucose lowering protocols and the proven negative effects of intraoperative hyperglycaemia in diabetes, there is no evidence regarding the optimal intraoperative glucose lowering treatment. Recently, incretins have been introduced to lower blood glucose. The main hormone of the incretin system is glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). GLP-1 increases insulin and decreases glucagon secretion in a glucose-dependent manner, resulting in low incidence of hypoglycaemia. This study investigates for the first time the optimal intraoperative treatment algorithm to lower glucose in patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

Objective:

This study investigates the optimal intraoperative treatment algorithm to lower glucose in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 undergoing non-cardiac surgery, comparing intraoperative glucose-insulin-potassium infusion (GIK), insulin bolus regimen (BR) and GLP-1 (liraglutide, LG) treatment.

Inclusion criteria

• Signed informed consent
• known diabetes mellitus type II for > 3 months
• aged 18-75 years
• scheduled for elective non-cardiac surgery

Exclusion criteria

• Daily insulin dosage of > 1 IU/kg body weight

• Oral corticosteroid use
• Planned for day-care (ambulant) surgery
• Planned ICU stay post-operatively
• Planned bowel surgery
• History of chronic pancreatitis or idiopathic acute pancreatitis
• Impaired renal function defined as serum-creatinine ≥ 133 μmol/L for males and ≥ 115 μmol/L for females
• Females of child bearing potential who are pregnant, breast-feeding or intend to become pregnant or are not using adequate contraceptive methods (adequate contraceptive measures as required by local law or practice)
• Known or suspected allergy to trial product(s) or related products
• Any condition that the local investigator feels would interfere with trial participation or the evaluation of results