Abstract:

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence, underlying causes, clinical course, and outcomes of the neonatal hyperglycemia. Patient and method: Among the all patients that hospitalized in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for any reason between November 2008 and February 2010, the 112 patients with a plasma glucose level of ≥180 mg/dl were enrolled into the study. Results: Of the 112 hyperglycemic patients, 52 (46.4%) were preterm and 60 (53.6%) were full-term infants. While the rate of hyperglycemia was 6.9% in all of the patients; it was found higher in preterm group (12.7%) than that of full-term group (4.95 %), (p<0.05). Weight gain was noticed in 10 preterm (10/23) and one fullterm infants (1/19) due to excess parenteral fluid administration during transport of neonates. Respiratory distress syndrome (44.2%), asphyxia-acidosis (36.5%), infection (32.7%), and use of total parenteral nutrition (23.1%) or medications (9.6%) were the main underlying causes of the hyperglycemia in preterm group. In full-term group, asphyxia-acidosis (58.3%), infection (26.7%), exchange transfusion (25%), and peritoneal dialysis (10%) were the main causes of hyperglycemia in term group. Insulin treatment was needed in 9 (17.3%) preterm and 4 (6.7%) full-term patients. Of the study patients, 14 (26.9%) preterm and 20 (33.3%) full-term infants died from hyperglycemia/underlying diseases. Conclusions: In addition to excess parenteral fluid administration and hypothermia during the transportation of neonates, stressful conditions like respiratory distress syndrome, asphyxia-acidosis, and infection are main underlying causes for neonatal hyperglycemia

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