Hyperglycemia during total parenteral nutrition: an important marker of poor outcome and mortality in hospitalized patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of total parenteral nutrition (TPN)-induced hyperglycemia on hospital outcome. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The study determined whether blood glucose values before, within 24 h, and during days 2-10 of TPN are predictive of hospital complications and mortality. RESULTS: Subjects included a total of 276 patients receiving TPN for a mean duration of 15 +/- 24 days (+/-SD). In multiple regression models adjusted for age, sex, and diabetes status, mortality was independently predicted by pre-TPN blood glucose of 121-150 mg/dl (odds ratio [OR] 2.2, 95% CI 1.1-4.4, P = 0.030), 151-180 mg/dl (3.41, 1.3-8.7, P = 0.01), and >180 mg/dl (2.2, 0.9-5.2, P = 0.077) and by blood glucose within 24 h of >180 mg/dl (2.8, 1.2-6.8, P = 0.020). A blood glucose within 24 h of >180 mg/dl was associated with increased risk of pneumonia (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.4-7.1) and acute renal failure (2.3, 1.1-5.0). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperglycemia is associated with increased hospital complications and mortality in patients receiving TPN.

Implementing alcohol screening and intervention in a family medicine residency clinic.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of simultaneous systems interventions and clinician training on management of hazardous and harmful drinking in a residency clinic. Systems interventions included forming a multi-disciplinary implementation team, training registration clerks to distribute health risk questionnaires using the AUDIT-C alcohol screen, and training nurses to score the AUDIT-C and administer the AUDIT to screen-positive patients. Clinicians were trained to perform brochure-based interventions on screen-positive patients. Research staff provided compliance feedback. Over 12 months, 8.0% (241/3014) of patients screened positive and 3.8% (115/3014) received brief interventions. For screen-positive patients, comparisons with baseline measurements found increased rates of alcohol assessment (50% vs. 0%, p < .0001) and intervention (48.1% vs. 9.4%, p < .0001). Clinicians intervened more often when prompted with completed AUDITs (72% vs. 23%, p < .0001). Program modifications resulted in progressive increases in numbers of patients screened. This model shows promise for use in other residency programs.