Population meta-analysis of low plasma glucose thresholds in full-term normal newborns

• Published in: American journal of perinatology Vol. 23; no. 2; p. 115
• Main Authors: Alkalay, Arie L, Sarnat, Harvey B, Flores-Sarnat, Laura, Elashoff, Janet D, Farber, Sergio J, Simmons, Charles F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.02.2006
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Blood Glucose - analysis; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Glucose Tolerance Test; Humans; Hypoglycemia - diagnosis; Hypoglycemia - epidemiology; Incidence; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Newborn, Diseases - diagnosis; Infant, Newborn, Diseases - epidemiology; Male; Reference Values; Risk Assessment; Severity of Illness Index; Term Birth
• ISSN: 0735-1631
• DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-931912

There is extreme variation in the definition of low plasma glucose levels in newborn infants in the first postnatal days, ranging from < 30 to < or = 60 mg/dL. The goal of the present study was to define low thresholds (< or = 5th percentile) of plasma glucose concentrations in full-term normal newborns during the first 72 hours of life. Population meta-analysis was performed on published studies of neonatal hypoglycemia ascertained by MedLine search. One-way analysis of variance was computed across the studies for each of the following four postnatal time periods: 1 to 2 (physiological nadir), 3 to 23, 24 to 47, and 48 to 72 hours. The estimated < or = 5th percentiles of neonatal hypoglycemia during 1 to 2, 3 to 23, 24 to 47, and 48 to 72 hours after birth were < or = 28, < or = 40, < or = 41, and < or = 48 mg/dL, respectively. Based on this statistical definition, we recommend that low thresholds of plasma glucose levels of 28, 40, and 48 mg/dL be adopted in full-term normal newborns at 1 to 2, 3 to 47, and 48 to 72 hours of life, respectively.