Relationship Between Glycosylated Hemoglobin Level and Sciatic Nerve Block Performance in Diabetic Patients

Background:The objective of the present study was to explore the effects of deficiencies in glucose regulation on the onset, regression, and block performance times in a group of patients with diabetes-related foot problems.Methods:Forty-eight patients with American Society of Anesthetists physical status 2-4 undergoing foot and ankle surgery with a popliteal fossa block were prospectively studied. Patients were stratified into cohorts based on 3 groups according to their HbA1c levels: group 1 (n = 15), HbA1c 5%-6%; group 2 (n = 16), HbA1c 7%-8%; group 3 (n = 17), HbA1c 9%-10%. A standardized local anesthetic mixture containing 10 mL of 2% prilocaine and 10 mL of 0.5% levobupivacaine was used in all study groups. The primary outcome of the study was the time for regression of the sensory block.Results:The onset times of sensory and motor blocks in group 3 were significantly longer than those in groups 2 and 1. Motor block regression time differed significantly between groups (P = .04), being longer in gro...