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Management of diabetic ketoacidosis in PICU

R R Jahagirdar1, V V Khadilkar, A V Khadilkar

  • 1Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Medical College, Dhankawadi, Pune, India.

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|June 28, 2007
PubMed

Insights

This study shows that a modified protocol for treating children with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) leads to good outcomes and prevents complications like brain edema.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Intensive Care Medicine
  • Metabolic Disorders

Background:

  • Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication of diabetes in children.
  • Standard DKA treatment protocols require intensive biochemical monitoring.
  • Modified protocols may offer a viable alternative in PICU settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the outcomes of pediatric DKA patients treated with a modified protocol.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of less intensive biochemical monitoring in DKA management.
  • To assess the safety and efficacy of a modified DKA treatment protocol in a PICU.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 12 pediatric DKA cases (January 2005 - June 2006).
  • Management followed a modified protocol with less intensive biochemical monitoring.
  • Treatment included fluid therapy and intravenous insulin infusion; no bicarbonate bolus was administered.

Main Results:

  • Median time to normalize arterial blood gas (ABG) was 19 hours.
  • Median time for urinary ketones to disappear was 1 day.
  • The modified protocol resulted in good patient outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • DKA management in a PICU using a modified protocol yields good outcomes.
  • This approach can effectively prevent serious complications such as cerebral edema.
  • Modified protocols may be a safe and effective option for pediatric DKA treatment.
Abstract

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