Clinical profile and risk factors of symptomatic and asymptomatic hypoglycemia in neonates admitted to NICU in a tertiary care center: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the clinical profile and risk factors of symptomatic and asymptomatic hypoglycemia in neonates admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit in a tertiary care center. Methods: The prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care center in the Specialty Department of Pediatric. 196 Newborn babies with blood glucose levels < 45 mg/dL were examined with a simple random sampling method between December 2019 and November 2021. Maternal and neonatal risk factors and clinical signs were recorded and compared between symptomatic and asymptomatic cases. Results: The proportion of symptomatic hypoglycemia neonates born to gestational diabetes mellitus mothers was significantly higher (23.4% vs. 8.4%)(P<0.05). Small for gestational age, low birth weight, respiratory distress syndrome, hypothermia, and endocrine disorders were risk factors. The death rate in asymptomatic hypoglycemia neonates was significantly higher (58% vs. 39%) (P<0.05). Conclusions: The study indicates that maternal gestational diabetes mellitus is associated with symptomatic hypoglycemia and asymptomatic hypoglycemia is associated with neonatal mortality. It is important to take vigilance and timely interventions to address associated symptoms, particularly poor feeding, in the management of neonatal hypoglycemia.

Keywords

Hypoglycemia / Neonatal diabetes / Symptomatic / Asymptomatic / Newborns hypoglycemia / Diabetic infants / Prevalence

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