Glucose Control in Severely Burned Patients

Glucose Control in Severely Burned Patients: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential

The central aim of this application is to determine whether improved outcomes with tight euglycemic control are due to insulin-specific responses. The investigators hypothesize that improving insulin resistance will lead to decreased inflammatory and hypermetabolic responses, as well as restored glucose metabolism, and so result in improved clinical outcome of severely burned patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• between 18 and 90 years of age
• >20% TBSA
• Admitted to the burn unit within 120 hours following burn
• At least 1 surgical intervention necessary

Exclusion Criteria:

• death upon admission
• decision not to treat due to burn injury severity
• presence of anoxic brain injury that is not expected to result in complete recovery
• known history of AIDS, ARC, HIV, Hepatitis B-E
• history of cancer within 5 years of malignancy currently under treatment
• inability to obtain informed consent
• previous or existing renal dysfunction, liver disease, or hepatic dysfunction
• pre-existing type I diabetes mellitus
• pregnancy
• allergy to metformin