SynthesisNursing in critical care2026
Benefits and Risks of Intensive Glucose Control in Intensive Care Units: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Synthesis in Nursing in critical care, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundHyperglycaemia is common among intensive care unit (ICU) patients and is associated with increased mortality. However, whether intensive or liberal glucose control is more beneficial remains controversial.
aimTo compare the benefits and risks of intensive versus liberal glucose control in ICU patients. STUDY
designA Meta analysis of randomized controlled trials.
methodsSystematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Web of Science from inception to October 30, 2024. The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Data were independently screened and extracted by four reviewers. Relative risks (RRs) were pooled using a random effects model, and trial sequential analysis was performed for the primary outcome.
resultsSeventy RCTs were included, comprising 36 502 patients, of which 64 RCTs (32 491 patients, 89%) were conducted in adults and 6 RCTs (4011 patients, 11%) in children. The RR of all-cause mortality after intensive and liberal glucose control was 0.99 (95% CI, 0.93-1.05) in adults. Comparable findings were observed for all-cause mortality in children. Intensive glucose control had a statistically significantly higher risk of severe hypoglycaemia in both children (RR 5.70; 95% CI 2.60-12.51) and adults (RR 3.55; 95% CI 2.49-5.07). However, intensive glucose control had a statistically lower risk of infection in both children (RR 0.83; 95% CI 0.70-0.98) and adults (RR 0.78; 95% CI 0.63-0.97). In the subgroup analysis of adults, a lower risk of infection was observed in all surgical groups, but not in the medical group. There was no statistically significant difference in other complications, including sepsis, acute renal injury, new need for dialysis and need for blood transfusion.
conclusionsIntensive and liberal glucose control had similar effects on all-cause mortality in adults and children, though paediatric data are limited and should be interpreted cautiously. Intensive glucose control reduced infection risk, especially in surgical ICUs, but increased the risk of severe hypoglycaemia. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: These findings suggest that routine intensive glucose control does not improve survival and should be applied cautiously due to increased hypoglycaemia risk, although it may reduce infection risk, particularly in surgical ICU patients.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.