Calculate insulin correction dose from current and target blood glucose and correction factor, or glucose infusion rate from dextrose, IV rate, and weight.

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Glucose Infusion Rate

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Glucose Infusion Rate Formula

The following formula is used to calculate the Glucose Infusion Rate (GIR) when a dextrose solution is infused intravenously:

GIR\,(mg/kg/min)=\frac{D(\%)\cdot \text{Rate}\,(mL/hr)}{6\cdot \text{Weight}\,(kg)}

Variables:

  • GIR is the glucose infusion rate (mg/kg/min)
  • D(%) is the dextrose concentration of the IV fluid (e.g., D5 = 5%, D10 = 10%)
  • Rate is the infusion rate (mL/hr)
  • Weight is the patient’s weight (kg)

To calculate GIR, multiply the dextrose concentration (%) by the infusion rate in mL/hr, then divide by 6 × weight (kg). (The constant 6 comes from converting % dextrose to mg/mL and hours to minutes.)

What is a Glucose Infusion Rate?

The Glucose Infusion Rate (GIR) is the rate at which glucose is delivered to a patient through an IV dextrose-containing solution, normalized to body weight. It is commonly used in neonatal care, critical care, and parenteral nutrition to quantify glucose delivery and to help guide dextrose/IV fluid adjustments. GIR is typically expressed in mg/kg/min. In metabolic research (for example, during a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp), GIR may also refer to the glucose infusion required to maintain a target blood glucose while insulin is infused.

How to Calculate Glucose Infusion Rate?

The following steps outline how to calculate the Glucose Infusion Rate (GIR).

  1. First, determine the patient’s weight (kg).
  2. Next, determine the dextrose concentration of the IV fluid (%, e.g., D10 = 10%).
  3. Next, determine the IV infusion rate (mL/hr). (If you have mL/min, multiply by 60 to convert to mL/hr.)
  4. Next, use the formula from above: GIR (mg/kg/min) = (D% × Rate (mL/hr)) / (6 × Weight (kg)).
  5. Finally, calculate the Glucose Infusion Rate.
  6. After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem:

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

Weight (kg) = 70

Dextrose concentration (%) = 10

Infusion rate (mL/hr) = 50

Glucose infusion rate (mg/kg/min) = ?