Continuous vital signs monitoring in post-surgical ward patients may support early detection of clinical deterioration, but novel alarm approaches are required to ensure timely notification of abnormalities and prevent alarm-fatigue. The current study explored the performance of classical and various adaptive threshold-based alarm strategies to warn for vital sign abnormalities observed during development of an adverse event. A classical threshold-based alarm strategy used for continuous vital signs monitoring in surgical ward patients was evaluated retrospectively. Next, (combinations of) six methods to adapt alarm thresholds to personal or situational factors were simulated in the same dataset. Alarm performance was assessed using the overall alarm rate and sensitivity to detect adverse events. Using a wireless patch-based monitoring system, 3999 h of vital signs data was obtained in 39 patients. The clinically used classical alarm system produced 0.49 alarms/patient/day, and alarms were generated for 11 out of 18 observed adverse events. Each of the tested adaptive strategies either increased sensitivity to detect adverse events or reduced overall alarm rate. Combining specific strategies improved overall performance most and resulted in earlier presentation of alarms in case of adverse events. Strategies that adapt vital sign alarm thresholds to personal or situational factors may improve early detection of adverse events or reduce alarm rates as compared to classical alarm strategies. Accordingly, further investigation of the potential of adaptive alarms for continuous vital signs monitoring in ward patients is warranted.

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Aims Most cardiac surgery patients, with or without diabetes, develop perioperative hyperglycaemia, for which intravenous insulin is the only therapeutic option. This is labour‐intensive and carries a risk of hypoglycaemia. We hypothesized that preoperative administration of the glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist liraglutide reduces the number of patients requiring insulin for glycaemic control during cardiac surgery. Materials and methods In this randomized, blinded, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group, balanced (1:1), multicentre randomized, superiority trial, adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery in four Dutch tertiary hospitals were randomized to receive 0.6 mg subcutaneous liraglutide on the evening before surgery and 1.2 mg after induction of anaesthesia or matching placebo. Blood glucose was measured hourly and controlled using an insulin‐bolus algorithm. The primary outcome was insulin administration for blood glucose >8.0 mmol/L in the operating theatre. Research pharmacists used centralized, stratified, variable‐block, randomization software. Patients, care providers and study personnel were blinded to treatment allocation. Results Between June 2017 and August 2018, 278 patients were randomized to liraglutide (139) or placebo (139). All patients receiving at least one study drug injection were included in the intention‐to‐treat analyses (129 in the liraglutide group, 132 in the placebo group). In the liraglutide group, 55 (43%) patients required additional insulin compared with 80 (61%) in the placebo group and absolute difference 18% (95% confidence interval 5.9–30.0, P = 0.003). Dose and number of insulin injections and mean blood glucose were all significantly lower in the liraglutide group. We observed no difference in the incidence of hypoglycaemia, nausea and vomiting, mortality or postoperative complications. Conclusions Preoperative liraglutide, compared with placebo, reduces insulin requirements while improving perioperative glycaemic control during cardiac surgery.

Change of respiratory rate (RespR) is the most powerful predictor of clinical deterioration. Brady-(RespR ≤ 8) and tachypnea (RespR ≥ 31) are associated with serious adverse events. Simultaneously, RespR is the least accurately measured vital parameter. We investigated the feasibility of continuously measuring RespR on the ward using wireless monitoring equipment, without impeding mobilization. Continuous monitoring of vital parameters using a wireless SensiumVitals® patch was installed and RespR was measured every 2 mins. We defined feasibility of adequate RespR monitoring if the system reports valid RespR measurements in at least 50% of time-points in more than 80% of patients during day-and night-time, respectively. Data from 119 patients were analysed. The patch detected in 171,151 of 227,587 measurements valid data for RespR (75.2%). During postoperative day and night four, the system still registered 68% and 78% valid measurements, respectively. 88% of the patients had more than 67% of valid RespR measurements. The RespR's most frequently measured were 13-15; median RespR was 15 (mean 16, 25th-and 75th percentile 13 and 19). No serious complications or side effects were observed. We successfully measured electronically RespR on a surgical ward in postoperative patients continuously for up to 4 days post-operatively using a wireless monitoring system. While previous studies mentioned a digit preference of 18-22 for RespR, the most frequently measured RespR were 13-16. However, in the present study we did not validate the measurements against a reference method. Rather, we attempted to demonstrate the feasibility of achieving continuous wireless measurement in patients on surgical postoperative wards. As the technology used is based on impedance pneumography, obstructive apnoea might have been missed, namely in those patients receiving opioids post-operatively.

IntroductionPerioperative hyperglycaemia is common during cardiac surgery and associated with postoperative complications. Although intensive insulin therapy for glycaemic control can reduce complications, it carries the risk of hypoglycaemia. GLP-1 therapy has the potential to lower glucose without causing hypoglycaemia. We hypothesise that preoperative liraglutide (a synthetic GLP-1 analogue) will reduce the number of patients requiring insulin to achieve glucose values<8 mmol l-1 in the intraoperative period.Methods and analysisWe designed a multi-centre randomised parallel placebo-controlled trial and aim to include 274 patients undergoing cardiac surgery, aged 18–80 years, with or without diabetes mellitus. Patients will receive 0.6 mg liraglutide or placebo on the evening before, and 1.2 mg liraglutide or placebo just prior to surgery. Blood glucose is measured hourly and controlled with an insulin bolus algorithm, with a glycaemic target between 4–8 mmol l−1. The primary outcome is the percentage of patients requiring insulin intraoperatively.Ethics and disseminationThis study protocol has been approved by the medical ethics committee of the Academic Medical Centre (AMC) in Amsterdam and by the Dutch competent authority. The study is investigator-initiated and the AMC, as sponsor, will remain owner of all data and have all publication rights. Results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed international medical journal.Trial registration numberNTR6323; Pre-results.

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Introduction: Previous studies demonstrated the cardioprotective properties of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in patients with diabetes or cardiac disease. We investigated whether preoperative subcutaneous liraglutide improves myocardial function after cardiac surgery. Methods: We performed a pre-planned secondary analysis of adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery included in the GLOBE trial. Patients were randomised to receive 0.6 mg subcutaneous liraglutide on the evening before surgery and 1.2 mg after induction of anaesthesia, or matching placebo. Perioperative echocardiographic assessments, haemodynamic parameters, doses of vasoactive inotropic support and postoperative measurements of troponin, Creatine Kinase-MB , creatinine and lactate were compared between groups. Results: The study population consisted of the entire intention-to-treat cohort of the GLOBE trial. In this study, 129 patients received liraglutide and 132 patients placebo. Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. Postoperatively, 170 (65%) patients underwent echocardiography. In the liraglutide group, more patients had a normal left ventricular systolic function (68%, 59 patients) compared to placebo (53%, 44 patients), difference = 15%, 95%CI = 0-30, p = 0.049. Assessment of the right ventricle revealed no difference in function. Conclusions: Patients receiving short-term preoperative liraglutide treatment better maintained normal myocardial function after cardiac surgery. This study warrants further evaluation of the potential beneficial effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists in cardiac surgery patients.

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