OBJECTIVETo discuss the influence of intensive insulin therapy on insulin resistance of patients with severe burn or trauma.

METHODSSixty patients with severe burn or trauma hospitalized in the Third People's Hospital of Chongqing or Southwest Hospital of the Third Military Medical University from January 2010 to December 2011 were randomly divided into intensive insulin therapy group (IT, treated with intensive insulin therapy to control the blood glucose to the level of 6.0-8.0 mmol/L) and control group (C, treated with routine therapy) according to the paired grouping method, with 30 patients in each group. Before treatment and on post treatment day (PTD) 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, the levels of fasting blood glucose and fasting plasma insulin were determined. Insulin resistance index and β-cell function index were calculated using homeostasis model assessment. Data were processed with t test, analysis of variance, and LSD test.

RESULTSOn PTD 1, 3, 7, 10, levels of fasting blood glucose in group IT [(6.8 ± 1.4), (6.7 ± 1.3), (5.8 ± 1.9), (5.4 ± 1.6) mmol/L] were significantly lower than those of group C [(14.8 ± 4.9), (12.7 ± 3.7), (7.7 ± 1.9), (6.6 ± 1.3) mmol/L, with t values respectively 12.453, 11.386, 5.563, 4.731, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01]. On PTD 3, 7, levels of fasting insulin in group IT [(14 ± 5), (10 ± 3) mU/L] were significantly lower than those of group C [(16 ± 4), (13 ± 4) mU/L, with t values respectively 4.212, 4.364, P values below 0.05]. Levels of fasting blood glucose and fasting insulin in the two groups at each time point were statistically significantly different from those before treatment (with P values below 0.01), except for the level of fasting blood glucose on PTD 3. On PTD 1, 3, 7, 10, levels of insulin resistance index in group IT (1.60 ± 0.80, 1.46 ± 0.70, 0.96 ± 0.21, 0.90 ± 0.23) were significantly lower than those in group C (2.15 ± 1.35, 2.21 ± 1.21, 1.50 ± 0.95, 1.17 ± 0.66, with t values respectively 8.316, 10.607, 7.825, 5.217, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Levels of insulin resistance index of patients in the two groups at each time point after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment (with P values below 0.01). On PTD 1, 3, 7, levels of β-cell function index in group IT (4.6 ± 2.9, 4.5 ± 3.3, 4.5 ± 3.6) were significantly higher than those in group C (3.4 ± 2.5, 3.6 ± 2.2, 4.2 ± 2.5, with t values respectively 8.243, 7.914, 4.338, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Levels of β-cell function index in group C on PTD 1 and 3 were significantly lower than that before therapy (with P values below 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIntensive insulin therapy can alleviate insulin resistance of patients with severe burn or trauma.