Effective Glycemic Control With Aggressive Hyperglycemia Management Is Associated With Improved Outcome in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose— Hyperglycemia strongly predicts poor outcome in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, but the effect of hyperglycemia management on outcome is unclear. We studied the impact of glycemic control on outcome of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Methods— A prospective intensive care unit database was used to identify 332 patients with hyperglycemic aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage admitted between January 2000 and December 2006. Patients treated with an aggressive hyperglycemia management (AHM) protocol after 2003 (N=166) were compared with 166 patients treated using a standard hyperglycemia management before 2003. Within the AHM group, outcome was compared between patients who achieved good (mean glucose burden <1.1 mmol/L) and poor (mean glucose burden ≥1.1 mmol/L) glycemic control. Poor outcome was defined as modified Rankin scale ≥4 at 3 to 6 months. Multivariable logistic regression models correcting for temporal trend were used to quantify the effect...