Assessment of Effects of Neonatal Hypoglycaemia. A Study of 41 Cases With Matched Controls

Abstract

. (1971). Archives of Disease in Childhood, 46, 819. Assessment of effects of neonatal hypoglycaemia. 41 infants who had experienced neonatal hypoglycaemia (blood glucose less than 20 mg/100 ml) were reviewed at a mean age of 51 months and compared to a group of matched controls. Symptomatic and asymptomatic infants were represented in the hypoglycaemic group in a similar ratio to that found during a previous study of the incidence of hypoglycaemia in a special care unit.Evidence of cerebral damage was found in 6 of the children who had been hypoglycaemic (14 6%) and in 5 of the controls (12 2%). This difference is not significant. The mean IQ and locomotor scores of the two groups were identical, and there was no difference in the incidence of behaviour disorders or convulsions.It is concluded that, while it is important to identify and treat cases of 'true' symptomatic hypoglycaemia, the large majority of infants tolerate low blood glucose levels without sequelae. The prognosis for infants with asymptomatic hypoglycaemia is particularly good, none of the 12 infants in this series showing any evidence of cerebral damage.

Neurological Findings at Follow‐up in Neonatal Hypoglycaemia

“…Asymptomatic hypoglycaemia seemed to carry a good prognosis, which is in accordance with the findings of several other authors (2,8,9,10,12,13). Patients of this category had short-term, mild hypoglycaemia during the first hours after birth.…”

Long term neurological dysfunction and neonatal hypoglycaemia after diabetic pregnancy

“…Asymptomatic neonatal hypoglycaemia has previously been considered of little importance for future neurodevelopment 23 6 11 However, our findings indicate that even asymptomatic hypoglycaemia in children of diabetic mothers may be a risk factor for impaired neurodevelopment and must therefore be identified, prevented and treated.…”

Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism During Hypoglycemia in Newborn Dogs

“…Ultimate neurological outcome relates more to the presence of clinical manifestations during hypoglycemia than to the severity of the blood glucose depression. Neurological sequelae in neonates who remain asymptomatic despite low blood glucose concentrations are usually minimal, whereas the incidence of central nervous system damage in symptomatic patients may be a s high as 60% (Haworth and McRae, 1965; Griffiths and Bryant, 1971; Koivisto et al, 1972). Premature infants and those of low birth weight for gestational age are particularly vulnerable to hypoglycemia (Lubchenco and Bard, 1971; Gutberlet and Cornblath, 1976) which, in turn, is often associated with overt neurological dysfunction (Beard et al, 1971).…”