The Quality of Preoperative Glycemic Control Predicts Insulin Sensitivity During Major Upper Abdominal Surgery: A Case-Control Study

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of the quality of preoperative glycemic control and insulin sensitivity during major upper abdominal surgery. BACKGROUND: In cardiac surgery, glycated hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)), an indicator of glycemic control during the preceding 3 months, correlated with intraoperative insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, insulin resistance showed a significant association with adverse clinical outcomes. METHODS: This study is a post hoc exploratory analysis of a randomized controlled trial in patients undergoing elective hepatectomy and receiving the hyperinsulinemic-normoglycemic clamp (HNC) as a potential intervention to reduce surgical site infections (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01528189). Immediately before skin incision, the HNC was initiated by infusing insulin at the rate of 2 mU/kg/min. Dextrose was administered at rates titrated to maintain normoglycemia (4.0–6.0 mmol/L). The average of 3 consecutive dextrose infusion rates during steady state was used as a measure of insulin sensitivity. Primary outcome was the relationship between preoperative HbA(1c) and insulin sensitivity during surgery. Secondary outcomes were the associations of insulin sensitivity with the patient’s body mass index (BMI) and postoperative morbidity. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients were studied. HbA(1c) (Y = −0.52X + 4.8, P < 0.001, R(2) = 0.29), BMI (Y = −0.12X + 5.0, P < 0.001, R(2) = 0.43) showed negative correlations with insulin sensitivity. The odds ratio of postoperative complications within 30 days of surgery for every increase in insulin sensitivity by 1 mg/kg/min was 0.22 (95% confidential interval, 0.06–0.59; P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate significant associations of the quality of preoperative glycemic control and body mass index with insulin sensitivity during hepatectomy. The degree of insulin resistance correlated with postoperative morbidity.