Methods
The following was done for each
medical record:
• A review of physician orders
determined the method of management
utilized to treat hyperglycemia.
Patient records were
divided into two groups based on
ordered treatment for elevated
blood glucose, and not randomly
assigned.
• All actual blood glucose values
were reviewed and recorded from
laboratory results.
• Blood glucose values from pa -
tients treated with bolus-only
insulin (Group 1) were compared
to values for patients treated by
basal-bolus insulin (Group 2).
• Potential confounding factors
were reviewed to determine
patients’ risk categories. The
medi cal director of the diabetes
management center at the re -
gional hospital broadly categorized
the level of difficulty in glucose
management (risk category)
according to general disease
processes. Low-risk patients had
no infectious process and no history
of diabetes. Moderate-risk
patients had an infectious pro -
cess but were without a previous
history of diabetes. Lastly, highrisk
patients had a previous diagnosis
of diabetes regardless of
infectious processes.