Our experience of controlling diabetes in the peri-operative period of patients who underwent cardiac surgery

AimsWe have different protocols applied in our cardiac center for control of blood glucose (BG), we like to see which protocol can achieve our goal.MethodsFrom a prospective study of 120 diabetic patients randomly assigned to either simple sliding scale or Braithwaite protocol who underwent open heart surgical procedures between 2005 and 2008. The study group included 80 patients treated with Braithwaite protocol; the control group included 40 patients treated with simple sliding scale in an attempt to maintain BG level less than 200 mg/dl.ResultsIn the study group all the patients were under 200 mg/dl at the end of 48 h postoperatively, which was not achieved in the control group (P < 0.01). There was a significant reduction in hospital stay in the study group compared to the control group (mean in days 9.1 ± 2.3/12.3 ± 7.6) (P < 0.001) and also there was no wound infection compared to the control group (0/5 cases).ConclusionThe study showed that control of DM in peri-operative period using Braithwaite regimen was of great benefit and safety.