Hypoglycemia in the Newborn

Paul J Rozance; Joseph I Wolfsdorf

doi:10.1016/j.pcl.2018.12.004

Hypoglycemia in the Newborn

Pediatr Clin North Am. 2019 Apr;66(2):333-342. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2018.12.004. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Authors

Paul J Rozance¹, Joseph I Wolfsdorf²

Affiliations

¹ Perinatal Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Colorado Children's Hospital, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 13243 E 23rd Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
² Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: joseph.wolfsdorf@childrens.harvard.edu.

PMID: 30819340
DOI: 10.1016/j.pcl.2018.12.004

Abstract

This article covers several aspects of the clinical management of neonatal hypoglycemia that have recently evolved, reviewing the evidence informing these recommended changes in practice. Topics covered include use of buccal dextrose gel, rationale for avoiding the traditional "mini dextrose bolus," and benefits of direct breastfeeding for the treatment of asymptomatic hypoglycemia in at-risk newborns. The reasons for increasing use of more accurate point-of-care devices for measuring neonatal glucose concentrations are discussed, as well as the implications of different published opinions regarding the determination of readiness for discharge and the most important considerations when making this determination.

Keywords: Dextrose; Dextrose gel; Discharge readiness; Glucose; Glucose meter; Neonatal hypoglycemia.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Blood Glucose / analysis
Breast Feeding / methods
Enteral Nutrition / methods
Glucose / therapeutic use
Humans
Hypoglycemia / therapy*
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Newborn, Diseases / therapy*

Substances

Blood Glucose
Glucose