The purpose of this phase 2 randomized control trial will be to evaluate the effect of
glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) therapy in the setting of lower extremity trauma to reduce
short- and long-term muscle damage, acute rhabdomyolysis, and acute kidney injury. The study
will consist of 40 patients with femur or tibial shaft fractures randomized to the GIK arm
(using a well-described systemic GIK protocol; n = 20) or the control arm (using isotonic
saline; n = 20). The use of systemic GIK is expected to decrease the overall amount of lower
extremity muscle cell death and result in improved muscle function in the postoperative
period. Additionally, the investigators hypothesize that GIK will lead to less severe
rhabdomyolysis and a concomitant decrease in the incidence of AKI that results from the
byproducts of muscle cell death.