Neonatal hypoglycemia after initiation of late preterm antenatal corticosteroids

Kristen R Uquillas; Richard H Lee; Smeeta Sardesai; Ellison Chen; Ugonna Ihenacho; Victoria K Cortessis; Lorayne Barton

doi:10.1038/s41372-020-0589-1

Neonatal hypoglycemia after initiation of late preterm antenatal corticosteroids

J Perinatol. 2020 Sep;40(9):1339-1348. doi: 10.1038/s41372-020-0589-1. Epub 2020 Feb 14.

Authors

Kristen R Uquillas¹, Richard H Lee², Smeeta Sardesai³, Ellison Chen⁴, Ugonna Ihenacho⁵, Victoria K Cortessis^{5

6}, Lorayne Barton³

Affiliations

¹ Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Kristen.Uquillas@med.usc.edu.
² Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
³ Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁴ Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁵ Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁶ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

PMID: 32060360
DOI: 10.1038/s41372-020-0589-1

Abstract

Objective: To compare the frequency and severity of neonatal hypoglycemia in pregnancies treated with and without late preterm antenatal corticosteroids.

Study design: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of late preterm deliveries at LAC + USC (2015-2018). Neonatal outcomes were compared between pregnancies treated with and without corticosteroids.

Results: 93 pregnancies (39.9%) received corticosteroids and 140 (60.1%) did not. Neonates born to women given corticosteroids were more likely to be hypoglycemic (47.3 vs. 29.3%, OR_adj 2.25, p_adj = 0.01). The mean initial glucose (45.6 mg/dL vs. 51.9 mg/dL, p = 0.01) and glucose nadir (39.1 mg/dL vs. 45.4 mg/dL, p < 0.001) were significantly lower if the neonates received corticosteroids. Neonates admitted to the NICU solely for hypoglycemia were more likely to be born to women treated with corticosteroids (OR_adj 4.71, p_adj = 0.01).

Conclusion: Administration of late preterm corticosteroids was associated with an increased incidence and severity of neonatal hypoglycemia.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Adrenal Cortex Hormones / adverse effects
Female
Gestational Age
Humans
Hypoglycemia* / chemically induced
Hypoglycemia* / epidemiology
Infant, Newborn
Pregnancy
Prenatal Care*
Retrospective Studies

Substances

Adrenal Cortex Hormones