Factors Associated with Need for Intravenous Glucose Infusion for the Treatment of Early Neonatal Hypoglycemia in Late Preterm and Term infants

Abstract

Abstract Objective To determine which late-preterm (35-36wk gestational age [GA]) and term neonates with early-onset hypoglycemia in the first 72h postnatal required a continuous glucose infusion in order to achieve and successfully maintain euglycemia. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of late preterm and term neonates born in 2010–2014 and admitted to the Mother-Baby Unit at Parkland Hospital who had laboratory-proven blood glucose concentration < 40 mg/dL (2.2 mmol/L) during the first 72h of life. The cohort was randomly divided into a derivation cohort (n = 1288) and a validation cohort (n = 1298). Result In multivariate analysis, need for intravenous glucose infusion was associated with small size for GA, low initial glucose concentration, early-onset infection and other perinatal variables (e.g., fetal acidosis, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy) in both cohorts. Conclusion Need for intravenous glucose infusion was associated with small size for GA, low initial glucose concentration, early-onset infection and variables associated with prenatal hypoxia-asphyxia.