Effect of Comorbidity-free Neonatal Hypoglycemia on Neurodevelopment at 18 Months of Age: A Prospective Cohort Study

To study the impact of neonatal hypoglycemia on neurodevelopment and neuro-developmental clusters at 18 months of age.

This prospective cohort study was conducted at the pediatric and neonatal wards of a tertiary care hospital. Study subjects were neonates with hypoglycemia (blood sugar <47 mg/dL at presentation). Enrolled babies were evaluated at 3,6,9,12 and 18 months for overall neurodevelopment and neurodevelopmental clusters by Developmental Assessment Scale for Indian Infants (DASII).

Of the total 259 neonates with hypoglycemia, 92 met the inclusion criteria, and 85 babies could be evaluated at 3,6,9,12 and 18 months. 20 (23.5%) neonates had asymptomatic hypoglycemia, and 7 (8.2%) had symptoms with seizures. 17.6% (n=15) babies had delayed development quotient for development at 3 months of life. At 18 months of age, 9.4% (n=8) subjects had delayed development quotient for motor clusters and 7% (n=6) had delayed development quotient for mental clusters. Positive correlation was found between age and both improvement in motor development (r=0.99, P<0.05) and mental development (r=0.95, P<0.05) clusters.

Motor and mental developmental clusters are affected by neonatal hypoglycemia. Improvement in developmental clusters occurs with increasing age.