Heart & Diabetes - Feasibility Study

The main purpose of this study is to validate an intensive protocol of insulin infusion and subsequent subcutaneous insulin administration with the support of continuous glucose monitoring, in addition to reference finger-stick values.

Heart failure is a common disease (prevalence worldwide: 22 million; incidence worldwide: 2 million; prevalence in Italy: 750.000; incidence in Italy: 170.000), affecting 1-2% of overall population and accounting for a significant proportion of healthcare costs. Recurrent hospital admissions represent the majority of the disease-related cost. About 15-25% of patients with HF are diabetics: the presence of diabetes significantly worsens prognosis in patients with heart failure and increases the risk of death by 30% compared to subject without diabetes. The intensive control of glycemia during acute heart failure is an objective of primary importance, which can be obtained only with a proper strategy of patient management and with a considerable organizational effort. In a shared protocol aimed at a tight control of glycemia, the use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) is expected to allow an easier management of the patient and a more accurate implementation of the protocol. The main purpose of this study is to validate an intensive protocol of insulin infusion and subsequent subcutaneous insulin administration with the support of continuous glucose monitoring, in addition to reference finger-stick values.

All patients will be submitted to a shared intensive protocol of insulin infusion supported by continuous glucose monitoring

The intensive control of glycemia is obtained with a shared in-hospital insulin infusion protocol, supported by the use of a continuous glucose monitoring system (Medtronic Guardian REAL Time). Any sudden variation of glycemia levels and/or alarms, as indicated by the device, has to be confirmed with a finger-stick before any therapy modification. In-hospital management is subdivided in a 2-day intensive and a 3-day post-intensive phase.

Number of medical interventions and/or therapy variations based on blood glucose monitoring (finger-sticks) and/or suggested by interstitial continuous glucose monitoring glucose monitoring in the first 5 days

Number of times that therapy was changed after finger-stick confirmation when CGM values or alarms were indicating a therapy adjustment needs to be made

Inclusion Criteria (all of the following inclusion criteria must be met for the patient to be enrolled in the study): acute heart failure, defined according to current ESC Guidelines HbA1c > 7.5% at admission in Cardiology Unit glycemia > 180 mg/dL at admission in Cardiology Unit the patients signed the Informed Consent Exclusion Criteria (if any of the following criteria are met, patients cannot be enrolled in the study): heart failure in acute infarction or cardiogenic shock creatinemia > 3.5 mg/dL at admission or in hemodialytic therapy cirrhosis acute infective pathology cardiac revascularization during the hospitalization or in the preceding 3 months life expectance < 12 months age < 18 years pregnant women informed consent not signed subject included in other protocols