None of the trials examined the effects of the interventions in terms of costs .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS The included trials did not demonstrate significant differences for most of the outcomes when targeting intensive perioperative glycaemic control compared with conventional glycaemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus .
However , posthoc analysis indicated that intensive glycaemic control was associated with an increased number of patients experiencing hypoglycaemic episodes .
BACKGROUND Patients with diabetes mellitus are at increased risk of postoperative complications .
Data from r and omised clinical trials and meta-analyses point to a potential benefit of intensive glycaemic control , targeting near-normal blood glucose , in patients with hyperglycaemia ( with and without diabetes mellitus ) being su bmi tted to surgical procedures .
However , there is limited evidence concerning this question in patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing surgery .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of perioperative glycaemic control for diabetic patients undergoing surgery .
A Comparison of Two Intravenous Insulin Regimens Among Surgical Patients With Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus
We compared two intravenous insulin regimens among 58 consecutive surgical patients who required perioperative insulin infusions .  Patients were r and omized to either a st and ard glucose-insulin-potassium ( GIK ) infusion or a more complex , tailored two-pump protocol . Both methods provided similar overall glycemic control . However , the two-pump regimen result ed in a significantly greater proportion of finger-prick results in the target range both preoperatively ( 47.4 % vs 60.1 % ) and postoperatively ( 52.0 % vs 66.4 % ) . The length of stay ( 15 vs 16 days ) , duration of infusion ( 15 vs 16 hours , and number of medical and nursing incidents ( 18 % vs 20 % ) were similar : Although the two-punip protocol required more changes to the administration rate ( 2 vs 10 ) , this method was preferred by the nursing staff over the GIK regimen , result ed in more stable glucose control , and is likely to be associated with fewer clinical errors
None of the trials examined the effects of the interventions in terms of costs .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS The included trials did not demonstrate significant differences for most of the outcomes when targeting intensive perioperative glycaemic control compared with conventional glycaemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus .
However , posthoc analysis indicated that intensive glycaemic control was associated with an increased number of patients experiencing hypoglycaemic episodes .
BACKGROUND Patients with diabetes mellitus are at increased risk of postoperative complications .
Data from r and omised clinical trials and meta-analyses point to a potential benefit of intensive glycaemic control , targeting near-normal blood glucose , in patients with hyperglycaemia ( with and without diabetes mellitus ) being su bmi tted to surgical procedures .
However , there is limited evidence concerning this question in patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing surgery .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of perioperative glycaemic control for diabetic patients undergoing surgery .