Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026
08:58
Development of a Neonatal Piglet Acute Lung Injury Model Recreating the Early Environment of Preterm Infant Lungs
Published on: October 31, 2025
Hypoglycemia in the neonate
1Division Chief of Endocrinology/Diabetes, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 34th Street and Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Pediatric Endocrinology Reviews : PER
|January 31, 2007
Summary
Neonatal hypoglycemia, often caused by transient immaturity or persistent hyperinsulinism (HI), requires specific diagnosis and treatment. Medical or surgical interventions are tailored to the type of HI for effective management in newborns.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Genetics
Background:
- Neonatal hypoglycemia can stem from immature glucoregulatory pathways, typically resolving with feeding.
- Persistent hyperinsulinism (HI) is a common cause of neonatal hypoglycemia, often remitting spontaneously, especially in preterm or stressed infants.
- Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) presents with non-remitting hypoglycemia, necessitating targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline the causes and management strategies for neonatal hypoglycemia.
- To differentiate between transient and persistent forms of hyperinsulinism.
- To emphasize the importance of disease-specific diagnosis for effective treatment of neonatal hyperinsulinism.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on neonatal hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinism.
- Analysis of treatment modalities including feeding, diazoxide, and surgery.
- Classification of hyperinsulinism based on genetic mutations and histological subtypes (focal vs. diffuse).
Main Results:
- Transient neonatal hypoglycemia usually resolves with normal feeding.
- Diazoxide is effective for many cases of persistent hyperinsulinism, particularly in low birth weight or stressed neonates.
- Congenital hyperinsulinism unresponsive to diazoxide may require surgery, with extent determined by focal or diffuse disease patterns.
Conclusions:
- Accurate diagnosis of hyperinsulinism subtypes is crucial for appropriate management.
- Treatment strategies for neonatal hypoglycemia range from supportive care to medical therapy and surgical intervention.
- Understanding genetic and histological factors guides the selection of optimal treatment for neonatal hyperinsulinism.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Hypoglycemia 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...
01:26Hypoglycemia
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...
01:20Pathophysiology 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...
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...
01:29Hyperglycemia
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...
01:22Diabetes 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...
01:27Glucose Transporters
Glucose transporters facilitate the transport of glucose across the cell membrane. In addition to glucose, some glucose transporters can also aid the movement of other hexoses such as fructose, mannose, and galactose.
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes:
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes: