Blood glucose levels play a role in recovery time from urinary tract infections in type 2 diabetics

The study examined the role blood glucose (sugar) levels and blood glucose variability play in recovery from urinary tract infections in patients with type 2 diabetes plus chronic kidney disease.

High blood glucose levels are often a part of type 2 diabetes. One complication from high blood glucose is kidney damage. Kidney damage can lead to chronic kidney disease, in which the kidneys slowly lose the ability to filter waste from the blood. Patients with type 2 diabetes are also at a higher risk of developing urinary tract infections. These infections can lead to hospitalizations, and patients with diabetes have hospital stays 3 to 5 times longer than patients without diabetes.

Urinary tract infections can lead to acute kidney injury (a sudden loss of kidney function) in type 2 diabetics, which can worsen chronic kidney disease. Because blood glucose levels play a role in many diabetes complications, high blood glucose or highly variable blood glucose levels could affect the outcome of urinary tract infections in patients with type 2 diabetes plus chronic kidney disease.

This study examined the role of blood glucose levels, and the variability of blood glucose levels, in the outcome of urinary tract infections. 88 patients with type 2 diabetes plus chronic kidney disease were included in the study. All patients experienced acute kidney injury at the time of hospital admission. 39 patients (44.3%) recovered kidney function in 9 days or less (early recovery), while 49 patients (55.7%) recovered kidney function after 9 days (late recovery). Patients' blood glucose levels were measured during their hospital stay.

Patients who recovered early had significantly lower average blood glucose levels (185.6 mg/dL) compared to those who recovered late (216.7 mg/dL). Fasting blood glucose levels (the level after a period without food or drink) were significantly lower in the early recovery group (149.7 mg/dL) compared to those who recovered late (181.2 mg/dL). Patients in the early recovery group also had significantly less variability in their blood glucose levels over the course of each day than did those who recovered late.

This study concluded that both blood glucose levels and blood glucose variability play a role in the speed with which type 2 diabetics with chronic kidney disease recover from urinary tract infections and acute kidney injury.