"Mellitus Metrics"-Systematic Review of Glucometric Reporting within Hospital-Based Diabetes Studies (2006-2023)

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Clinical Informatics
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Suboptimal inpatient glycemic control is linked to adverse outcomes like infections and increased costs.
• Standardizing glycemic measurement and reporting is essential for effective inpatient diabetes management.
• "Glucometrics" offers quantitative analysis models for inpatient glycemic data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the utilization of "glucometric" terminology and its derivatives since its inception.
• To investigate the application and evolution of glucometric concepts in inpatient settings.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of research articles on "glucometrics" published between 2006 and 2023.
• Searches conducted across five databases, with PRISMA-compliant screening and extraction.
• Inclusion of studies focusing on inpatient glycemic data analysis.

Main Results:

• 44 studies were included, with diverse settings (non-critical care, critical care).
• The "patient-day" model was most frequently used; most studies adhered to the original "glucometrics" description.
• Increasing introduction of new metrics and broader use of "glucometric" terminology observed, alongside significant variation in hyperglycemia/hypoglycemia thresholds.

Conclusions:

• Contemporary use of glucometric terminology reveals a lack of consensus in analyzing inpatient glycemia.
• Harmonization of glucometric approaches is necessary to enhance inpatient diabetes care.
• Standardized analysis is key to improving patient outcomes related to glycemic control.