Objective To analyze the association of the morbidity,the management of blood glucose,and the prognosis of patients with hyperglycemia in the medical intensive care units(ICU).Methods Medical records of ICU patients of Renji Hospital from 2002 to 2009 were reviewed using Medical Record Inquiry System,and the data were retrospectively analyzed.Results(1)2631 subjects were included in the present study,blood glucose was determined at least once during hospitalization in 2168 of them.The incidence of hyperglycemia was 26.3%,in which 12.9% presented a known history of diabetes and 13.4% without.In the patients with diabetes history,93.2% of them received anti-diabetic treatment during hospitalization.mainly with oral anti-hyperglyeemic agents (53.0%)or subcutaneous insulin injection(24.9%).However,in the patients without diabetes history,84.4% were not treated against hyperglycemia.The mortality was increased in the latter group(30.4% vs13.9%,P<0.01).(2)In the patients with diabetes history,the mortality in patients whose blood glucose>10 mmol/L was higher than those with blood glucose≤7.0 mmol/L(20.5% vs 9.9%,P<0.05):while in the patients without diabetes history,the mortality began to rise as blood glucose>7.0 mmol/L(P<0.01).(3)Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that the average blood glucose level was an independent risk factor for death(OR=1.26).Conclusions The ICU patients showed a high prevalence of hyperglycemia,the management of hyperglycemia should be emphasized.Hyperglycemia in critically ill patients might be an independent risk factor of increased mortality.