Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital
12:08

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital

Published on: June 11, 2012

Hyperglycemia and morbidity and mortality in extremely low birth weight infants

L S Kao1, B H Morris, K P Lally

  • 1Department of Surgery, Lyndon Baines Johnson General Hospital, University of Texas, Houston Medical School, Houston, TX 77026, USA. Lillian.S.Kao@uth.tmc.edu

Journal of Perinatology : Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association
|August 25, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Severe hyperglycemia in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants within the first week of life is linked to higher mortality and sepsis risk. This finding highlights the importance of glucose management in high-risk newborns.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatalogy
  • Endocrinology
  • Pediatric Critical Care

Background:

  • Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants are a vulnerable population facing significant health challenges.
  • Hyperglycemia is a common metabolic disturbance in ELBW infants, with unclear associations with adverse outcomes.
  • Understanding the impact of hyperglycemia on mortality and infection is crucial for improving neonatal care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between hyperglycemia and mortality in ELBW infants.
  • To determine the relationship between hyperglycemia and late-onset infections (>72 hours) in ELBW infants.
  • To explore hyperglycemia's link with necrotizing enterocolitis in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort of 201 ELBW infants surviving >3 days.
  • Categorization of mean morning glucose levels into normoglycemia, mild-moderate hyperglycemia, and severe hyperglycemia.
  • Logistic regression used to assess associations between early/persistent hyperglycemia and mortality/infection.

Main Results:

  • Severe early and persistent hyperglycemia were significantly associated with increased mortality in ELBW infants.
  • Severe hyperglycemia was linked to a higher odds ratio for death or late-onset infection.
  • Persistent severe hyperglycemia was associated with a higher risk of developing Stage II/III necrotizing enterocolitis.

Conclusions:

  • Severe hyperglycemia in the initial days of life is a significant risk factor for mortality and sepsis in ELBW infants.
  • Glucose control in the early neonatal period is critical for improving outcomes in ELBW infants.
  • Further research may elucidate specific mechanisms linking hyperglycemia to adverse events in ELBW neonates.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Hyperglycemic Clamp and Hypoglycemic Clamp in Conscious Mice07:35

Hyperglycemic Clamp and Hypoglycemic Clamp in Conscious Mice

Published on: January 26, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Hypoglycemia01:26

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a blood glucose level below 70 mg/dL. It commonly occurs in individuals using insulin or insulin-secreting drugs, but may also arise in non-diabetic conditions. People with type 1 diabetes are at the highest risk because they depend on exogenous insulin. People with type 2 diabetes are also at risk, especially when treated with insulin or medications such as sulfonylureas, which increase insulin release regardless of blood glucose levels. It develops when insulin levels exceed...
Hyperglycemia01:29

Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia is an abnormally high blood glucose level. It is diagnosed by fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (or OGTT) ≥200 mg/dL, random glucose ≥200 mg/dL with symptoms, or HbA1c ≥6.5%. However, HbA1c results may be unreliable in certain conditions, such as anemia or hemoglobinopathies, and the diagnosis should be confirmed unless classic symptoms are present. Postprandial hyperglycemia is typically considered significant when glucose levels exceed 180 mg/dL two...
Pathophysiology of Diabetes01:20

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility, suggesting a...
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
Hypoglycemia and Glucagon01:15

Hypoglycemia and Glucagon

Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...
Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations01:19

Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations

Type 1 diabetes mellitus typically presents with rapid-onset symptoms due to the body’s inability to utilize glucose in the absence of insulin. Since insulin is required for glucose uptake into cells, its deficiency leads to hyperglycemia and cellular energy deprivation, resulting in characteristic clinical features.Polyuria and PolydipsiaOne of the earliest, most prominent symptoms is polyuria (excessive urination). When blood glucose concentrations rise above the renal threshold, the kidneys...