Lauruschkat A.H., Arnrich B., Albert A.A., Walter J.A., Amann B., Rosendahl U.P., Alexander T., Ennker J.
Recent research has pointed to respiratory dysfunction in patients with diabetes. In a study of 8555 patients undergoing coronary bypass operations the reintubation rate was significantly higher in patients with undiagnosed diabetes (4.6%) and those on insulin therapy (4.5%) vs patients without diabetes and those on oral therapy. The proportion of patients who required ventilation for periods longer than 1 day were also significantly higher in the undiagnosed (9.9%) and insulin treated diabetics (8.6%) vs 4.8% for non diabetic patients.
Clinical relevance: It is possible that diabetic patients may benefit from prophylactic respiratory muscle training before surgery although this is still to be proven.
Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2008; 135: 1047 – 1053