Acute and Chronic Glucose Control in Critically Ill Patients With Diabetes: The Impact of Prior Insulin Treatment

Background:Emerging data highlight the interactions of preadmission glycemia, reflected by admission HbA1c levels, glycemic control during critical illness, and mortality. The association of preadmission insulin treatment with outcomes is unknown.Methods:This observational cohort study includes 5245 patients admitted to the medical-surgical intensive care unit of a university-affiliated teaching hospital. Three groups were analyzed: patients with diabetes with prior insulin treatment (DM-INS, n = 538); patients with diabetes with no prior insulin treatment (DM-No-INS, n = 986); no history of diabetes (NO-DM, n = 3721). Groups were stratified by HbA1c level: <6.5%; 6.5%-7.9% and >8.0%.Results:Among the three strata of HbA1c, mean blood glucose (BG), coefficient of variation (CV), and hypoglycemia increased with increasing HbA1c, and were higher for DM-INS than for DM-No-INS. Among patients with HbA1c < 6.5%, mean BG ≥ 180 mg/dL and CV > 30% were associated with lower severity-adjusted mortality in DM-INS compared to patients with mean BG 80-140 mg/dL and CV < 15%, (P = .0058 and < .0001, respectively), but higher severity-adjusted mortality among DM-No-INS (P = .0001 and < .0001, respectively) and NON-DM (P < .0001 and < .0001, respectively). Among patients with HbA1c ≥ 8.0%, mean BG ≥ 180 mg/dL was associated with lower severity-adjusted mortality for both DM-INS and DM-No-INS than was mean BG 80-140 mg/dL (p < 0.0001 for both comparisons).Conclusions:Significant differences in mortality were found among patients with diabetes based on insulin treatment and HbA1c at home and post-admission glycemic control. Prospective studies need to confirm an individualized approach to glycemic control in the critically ill.     

A lack of an association between COVID-19 vaccination and corneal graft rejection: results of a large multi-country population based study

PurposeThe aim of the study was to present the rates of corneal transplant rejection from 2018 to 2022 at both Moorfields Eye Hospital UK, and Ospedali Privati Forli (OPF) “Villa Igea”, Italy and evaluate the purported association between COVID-19 vaccination and rejection.MethodsWe performed a retrospective review of rejection cases presenting to the two units. Monthly rates were correlated against regional vaccination programme rates. At OPF, conditional Poisson regression model was employed to estimate the incidence risk ratio (IRR) of graft rejection following COVID-19 vaccination risk period compared with the control period.ResultsBetween January 2018 and March 2022, there were 471 (Moorfields), 95 (OPF) episodes of rejection. From the start of vaccination programme in the UK in late January 2021, the median number of graft rejections per month at Moorfields was 6 (range: 5–9), which was not significantly different to post-lockdown, pre-vaccination programme (March 2020–January 2021), p = 0.367. At OPF, the median rates of rejection before and after initiation of the vaccination programme were not significantly different (p = 0.124). No significant increase in incidence rate of rejection in the risk period following COVID-19 vaccination was found (IRR = 0.53, p = 0.71).ConclusionNo notable increase in rates of transplant rejection was noted in year 2021 when COVID-19 vaccination was broadly implemented. The apparent temporal relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and corneal graft rejection highlighted in several case reports may not represent a causative association.Subject terms: Corneal diseases, Risk factors     

Paroxysmal hypertension due to paraganglioma

The most prominent feature of this syndrome is sudden dramatic episodes of paroxysmal hypertension which are believed to be due to the outpouring of large amounts of adrenalin into the systemic circulation by these tumors. Attacks vary widely in duration from a few minutes to many days.Intermittent attacks of hypertension, developing without apparent cause, accompanied by vertigo, nausea and vomiting, headaches, palpatation, dyspnea, and pain of anginal type may be considered characteristic of this syndrome.A case of the chromafin cell type associated with paroxysmal episodes of hypertension is reported. The case was further complicated by marked sickle cell type of anemia which has required repeated transfusions to combat it.