Hyperglycaemia and the very preterm baby

Semin Fetal Neonatal Med. 2005 Aug;10(4):377-87. doi: 10.1016/j.siny.2005.04.008.

Abstract

Neonatal hyperglycaemia, as usually defined (a whole blood glucose of >7 mmol/L), is common in the first week of life in babies born more than 12 weeks early. However, a review of a cohort of all such births in the north of England suggests that significant glycosuria is uncommon, and that there is no threat of an osmotic diuresis until the urine contains 2% glucose (by which time the blood glucose level almost always exceeds 15 mmol/L). The current statistical or epidemiological definition of hyperglycaemia (derived from data on term babies) needs to be replaced, for clinical purposes, by a more operationally relevant definition.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Blood Glucose / analysis
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycemia / epidemiology*
  • Hyperglycemia / etiology
  • Hyperglycemia / physiopathology
  • Incidence
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Premature*
  • Neonatal Screening / methods
  • Neonatology
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Blood Glucose