Arterial Catheter to Monitor Glycemia

Randomised Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Obtention of Blood Samples Through an Arterial Catheter to Monitor Glycose Levels

The technique of blood samples extraction from the radial artery through an arterial catheter with a 3-way stopcock and automated washing with valve of fast flow is better than the one carried out through a fixed reusable arterial blood sample syringe and its manual washing because it shows a minor incidence of the complications originated from technical manipulation as infection, pseudo-aneurysm, ischemia or thrombosis of radial artery or obstruction of the catheter.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy, in terms of adverse effects, of blood samples obtention using an arterial catheter with needless connector closed system or an arterial catheter with an arterial blood sample syringe.

Also a second purpose is to compare once a day (at the same time) the values of glycose blood levels between bedside glucometer determination of arterial catheter extraction and capillar puncture, and lab determination of glycose from venous puncture, in order to determinate fluctuation in glycose levels due to peripherical hypoperfusion or to vasoactive drugs received by these in-intensive care unit patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Admission in intensive care unit
• Insertion of a radial artery catheter for the invasive monitoring of haemodynamic pressure for a maximum of 5 days
• Need of insulin therapy by an intravenous continuous perfusion

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who do not accept to participate (or their relatives do not accept)
• Patients with a medical limitation of effort therapy
• Patients with FloTrac sensor from Edwards Lifesciences which does not allow to add a supplementary 3-way stopcock