Bolus versus continuous insulin infusion in immediate postoperative blood glucose control in liver transplantation: pragmatic clinical trial

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effectiveness and safety of two insulin therapy techniques (continuous and intermittent infusion) in the blood glucose control of people who have undergone liver transplantation, in the immediate postoperative period. METHODS: The study was a prospective, open, pragmatic clinical trial with 42 participants, divided into two groups of 21 patients each, in the immediate postoperative period following liver transplantation. Participants in the Experimental Group and Control Group received continuous infusion and bolus insulin, respectively, starting at capillary blood glucose ≥150mg/dL. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the blood glucose reduction time to reach the target range between the Experimental Group and Control Group in the transplanted patients (p=0.919). No statistically significant differences regarding the presence of low blood glucose (p=0.500) and in the initial blood glucose value (p=0.345) were found. The study identified the final blood glucose value in postoperative intensive care unit lower and statistically significant in the continuous infusion pump group in relation to the Bolus Group (p<0.001). Additionally, the variation of blood glucose reduction was higher and statistically significant in the continuous method group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The continuous infusion method was more effective in the blood glucose control of patients in the postoperative period following liver transplantation. BRAZILIAN REGISTRY OF CLINICAL TRIALS: RBR-9Y5tbp