- βCGM devices proved reasonably accurate during cardiac surgery with only brief intraoperative signal gaps averaging 65 minutes
- βLiraglutide increased healthy blood sugar time-in-range from 47% to 72% β a 25-point improvement over placebo
- βCGM provided detailed pre- and post-surgical blood sugar tracking, potentially reducing the need for repeated invasive blood draws
| Journal | Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia |
| Year | 2024 |
| Authors | Oosterom-Eijmael, Hermanides, van Raalte |
| PMID | 38977382 |
What Was Studied and Why It Matters
Heart surgery puts enormous stress on the body β and one of the hidden risks is blood sugar that swings dangerously high or low during and after the procedure. Researchers in the Netherlands wanted to answer two important questions: Can continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) be trusted to track blood sugar accurately in cardiac surgery patients? And can the diabetes medication liraglutide help keep blood sugar in a healthy range during this high-risk period?
The answers matter not just for people already living with diabetes, but for any patient whose blood sugar can spike during the physical stress of surgery.
What the Researchers Did
As part of the larger GLOBE trial, 25 cardiac surgery patients wore a Dexcom G5 CGM device starting the day before their operation through their stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) afterward. Half received liraglutide β a medication commonly used to treat Type 2 diabetes β before surgery, while the other half received a placebo.
To check how accurate the CGM readings were, researchers compared them to blood glucose measurements taken directly from an artery β considered the gold standard for accuracy in hospital settings.
What They Found
- CGMs were reasonably accurate: Across 240 paired comparisons, the CGM readings were within about 14% of the arterial blood measurements on average β an acceptable margin in a complex surgical environment.
- Brief signal interruptions occurred during surgery: In 92% of patients, the CGM temporarily stopped reading during the operation itself, with gaps averaging about 65 minutes. However, the devices resumed normal function after surgery.
- Liraglutide dramatically improved blood sugar control: Patients who received liraglutide spent 72% of their monitored time with blood sugar in the healthy target range, compared to just 47% in the placebo group β a 25-percentage-point improvement.
What This Means for Real Patients
If you or a loved one is scheduled for cardiac surgery, this research carries reassuring news on two fronts.
First, CGM technology β the same kind of device many diabetes patients use at home every day β can give surgical teams a meaningful real-time picture of blood sugar levels before and after surgery, even if there's a brief gap during the operation itself. This could reduce the need for repeated finger-stick checks in an already difficult recovery period.
Second, a medication already familiar to many people with Type 2 diabetes may offer real protective benefits in the surgical setting. Keeping blood sugar stable during surgery is linked to fewer complications, faster healing, and shorter hospital stays.
For patients who already rely on CGM devices and diabetes supplies at home, companies like MDS Diabetes can help ensure you have the right equipment and sensors before and after a hospital procedure.
Bottom Line
CGM devices can reliably monitor blood sugar through the stress of cardiac surgery, and the diabetes drug liraglutide cut the time patients spent with out-of-range blood sugar nearly in half. Talk to your surgical team about whether CGM monitoring or liraglutide could be part of your care plan before a major procedure.