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Glycemic Variability in Pediatric Trauma Patients
Timothy Murtha, Walter J. Chwals, MD, Leslie Rideout, FNP, PhD(c)
Extensive research has made it clear that hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia are associated with poorer outcomes than patients that are maintained within the ideal average glucose range (90-110 mg/dL). The focus of our research was to investigate whether high variability in glucose levels are also correlated with morbidity and mortality in a population of pediatric trauma patients.
The study population were trauma patients admitted to the KPTI and cared for in the Floating Hospital’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit between February of 2000 and July of 2010. Overall, 605 patients were seen during this period. 218 patients met the research criteria and were included in the final dataset.
From the analysis, we are able to infer that by better controlling the variability in blood glucose, potential patient benefits include reducing the length of stay, decreasing post-hospital impairment, and reducing the number of PICU related mortalities. Timothy Murtha, 3rd year medical student at Tufts University School of Medicine, presented our research at the 44th conference for the Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons in Mexico in April, 2011.
KPTI Research Fellow- Dr. Andrew Benedict
Our research fellow, Andrew Benedict, MD, joined our KPTI team in the fall of 2010.
He is participating in a research study with a group of researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital. Together, they are studying how motor neurons can be used to understand repair mechanisms in spinal cord injuries. He presented his research at the 42nd annual American Pediatric Surgical Association national meeting in May of this year. In a statement addressed to the Kiwanis Foundation of New England, Dr. Benedict wrote, “I want to thank you for your support in helping me study stem cell biology.”
micrograph of neurons top of page:Copright © 2011 Nephron
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