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Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital
Published on: June 11, 2012
Target ranges and the apparent compliance with tight glycaemic control
E G Bone1, D Young, J Chantler
1Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK. edwinbone@doctors.org.uk
Abstract:
We performed a retrospective audit of blood glucose control after introducing a new protocol for insulin infusion. The audit showed a sustained reduction in the median blood glucose, which decreased from 7.0 to 6.8 mmol x l(-1), primarily because of a reduction in the proportion of values above 6 mmol x l(-1). When we examined the proportion of readings with previously published 'acceptable' ranges we found that small, probably clinically insignificant, changes in the accepted range have a major effect on apparent compliance with glycaemic control. This is because a large number of results fall within a narrow range of values. As a result there is a nearly 2.5-fold difference in compliance for a change in the upper limit of the target range of just 2.2 mmol x l(-1). Different target ranges have been recommended for tight glycaemic control. When comparing compliance with tight glycaemic control between intensive care units, target ranges should be identical.
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