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Dextrose gel for neonatal hypoglycaemia (the Sugar Babies Study): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled

Deborah L Harris1, Philip J Weston2, Matthew Signal3

  • 1Newborn Intensive Care Unit, Waikato District Health Board, Hamilton, New Zealand; Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Lancet (London, England)
|October 1, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Dextrose gel effectively treats neonatal hypoglycemia in at-risk infants, reducing treatment failures compared to placebo. This simple intervention offers a promising first-line approach for managing low blood sugar in newborns.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Endocrinology

Background:

  • Neonatal hypoglycemia is a common condition and a preventable cause of infant brain damage.
  • Limited evidence exists on the efficacy of dextrose gel for treating hypoglycemia in newborns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the effectiveness of dextrose gel compared to feeding alone for reversing neonatal hypoglycemia in at-risk infants.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted with 237 at-risk infants (35-42 weeks gestation, <48 hours old).
  • Infants received either 40% dextrose gel (200 mg/kg) or placebo gel, with treatment failure defined as blood glucose <2.6 mmol/L after two attempts.

Main Results:

  • Dextrose gel significantly reduced treatment failure compared to placebo (14% vs. 24%, RR 0.57, p=0.04).
  • No serious adverse events were reported; three infants in the placebo group had a single low blood glucose reading (0.9 mmol/L).

Conclusions:

  • Dextrose gel is an inexpensive and simple first-line treatment for neonatal hypoglycemia in late preterm and term infants.
  • Consideration of dextrose gel for managing hypoglycemia in the first 48 hours of life is recommended.
Abstract

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