Blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes and stroke
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An analysis of capillary blood glucose levels in hospitalised patients with diabetes and stroke
IRAS ID
195252
Contact name
Jesse Dawson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
We know that a high blood glucose level (hyperglycaemia) is associated with poor outcome after stroke. We know less about the effects of a low blood glucose level (hypoglycaemia). Many patients with diabetes suffer stroke and because of the medication they take, may be prone to both the high blood sugars commonly seen in diabetes and also low blood sugar. Recent audit of data from admissions (of all causes) to Glasgow hospitals showed that both hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia were common. We recently performed a similar audit on stroke admissions and found that hypoglycaemia was common, more common than would be expected. There are numerous mechanisms by which hypoglycaemia could be harmful; glucose is the main fuel used by the brain and if levels are lower than needed for cellular function, neuronal damage may rapidly occur in the already stressed stroke brain. We now want to explore whether hypoglycaemia is associated with adverse outcome. We can meet these aims by using data we gathered for a recent audit but this analysis seeks to generate new data that we hope will be generalisable to other stroke units. The analysis for this research will be performed on an anonymised dataset.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 1
REC reference
16/WS/0048
Date of REC Opinion
22 Mar 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion