Etiology

Drugs

• Corticosteroids (see Corticosteroids, [[Corticosteroids]])

Hyperglycemia in the ICU

Serum glucose measured in the laboratory is the gold standard. Fingerstick measurements in a normotensive patient may deviate significantly from serum values depending on the patient and the glucometer used. Fingerstick measurements with a bedside glucometer may significantly underestimate serum glucose in shock patients. Although analysis of the bedside samples from an arterial catheter improve the accuracy of the measurement, significant error may still exist.

References

• Atkin S et al. Fingerstick glucose determination in shock. Ann Intern Med 1991;114:1020-1024
• Kanji et al. Reliability of point-of-care testing for glucose measurement in critically ill adults. Crit Care Med 2005;33:2778- 2785
• Sylain H. Accuracy of fingerstick glucose values in shock patients. Am J Crit Care 1995;4:44-48
• Critchell C. Accuracy of bedside capillary blood glucose measurements in critically ill patients. Intensive Care Med 2007;33:2079-2084