Glucose affects the severity of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in newborn pigs

The administration of glucose has been shown to worsen brain injury in adult animals but has no effect on the severity of injury in newborn rats. We wished to see whether the results in newborn rats could be extended to another newborn animal.

In 44 0- to 3-day-old piglets, hypoxic-ischemic central nervous system damage was induced by ligation of both carotid arteries and reduction of their blood pressure to two-thirds normal for one-half hour. In the last 15 minutes of this half hour, oxygen concentration was reduced to 6%. The piglets were randomized to receive either 2 mL/kg 50% dextrose in water followed by 2 mL/kg per hour for 2.5 hours beginning before ischemia or enough insulin to reduce their resting blood sugar to approximately 2 mmol/L.

Neurological exam scores in the glucose-treated piglets at 1 day after injury were significantly worse than those in the insulin-treated group. Pathological examination scores were poorer in the glucose-treated group (13.6 +/- 1.9 [mean +/- SEM]) than in the insulin-treated group (24.7 +/- 1.4, P < .01).

Increasing serum glucose during hypoxic-ischemic injury to the newborn piglet's brain worsens brain injury.