Patients with sepsis and a pre-existing diagnosis of insulin-treated diabetes (ITD) may show a different relationship between hospital mortality and highest glucose levels and glycemic variability in the first 24 hours than patients without ITD, according to a study published in the Journal of Critical Care. In Australia and New Zealand, 11% to 15% of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions are comprised of patients with sepsis. Results showed that patients in the ICU with sepsis and ITD have lower adjusted hospital mortality, with higher peak blood glucose levels in the first 24 hours while patients who do not have ITD have increased mortality (interaction P =.012). In the lowest quintile (<6.7 mmol/l), patients with ITD had the highest mortality rates while patients who did not have ITD had the lowest.

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