Neonatal hypoglycemia can occur in high-risk infants such as those born to diabetic mothers or who are preterm/small for gestational age. Symptoms may include jitteriness, apnea, or seizures. Management involves early feeding and glucose monitoring to prevent and detect hypoglycemia. For levels under 1.5 mmol/L, IV dextrose is given with frequent monitoring until levels rise above 2.6 mmol/L. Persistent hypoglycemia may require increased dextrose concentration or addition of medications like glucagon or hydrocortisone. Recurrent hypoglycemia suggests underlying conditions like hyperinsulinemia which require additional investigation and treatment with drugs to reduce insulin secretion.

1. Neonatal Hypoglycemia
Mohd Zaim

2. Definition
• Hypoglycaemia is defined as < 2.6 mmol/L
after first 4 hours of life
• There is no specific plasma glucose
concentration or duration of hypoglycemia
that predicts permanent neurologic injury in
high-risk infants.
• From birth to 4 hours, glucose level of above
25 mg/dL (1.5 mmol/L) is acceptable if the
infant is asymptomatic.

3. High Risk Infant
• Infants of Diabetic Mothers
• Small for Gestational Age infants
• Preterm infants including late preterm infants.
• Macrosomic infants / Large for gestational age infants
> 4.0kg.
• Ill infants including those with:
• • Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
• • Rhesus disease.
• • Polycythaemia.
• • Sepsis.
• • Hypothermia.

4. Clinical Features
• Jitteriness and irritability.
• Apnoea and cyanosis.
• Hypotonia and poor feeding.
• Convulsions.
• Note: Hypoglycaemia may be asymptomatic
therefore monitoring is important for high
risk cases.

5. Management
• Prevention and Early Detection – at birth.
• • Identify at risk infants.
• • Well infants who are at risk:
• • Immediate feeding – first feed can be given in Labour
Room.
• • Supplement feeding until breastfeeding established.
• • Unwell infants:
• • Set up dextrose 10% drip.
• • Regular glucometer monitoring:
• • On admission and at 1, 2 and 4 hours after admission.
• • 3 -6 hourly just prior to feeding once stable for 24-48
hours.

6. If Hypoglycemic What To Do?
• Repeat the capillary blood sugar sampling and
send RBS stat.
• Examine and document any symptoms.
• Note when the last feeding was given.
• If on IV drip, check that IV infusion of glucose
is adequate and running well.

7. Blood Sugar Level <1.5mmol/l or
symptomatic
• GIve IV bolus Dextrose 10% at 2-3 ml/kg.
• Followed by dextrose 10% drip at 60-
90ml/kg/day (for day 1 of life) to maintain
normal blood glucose.
• If baby is already on dextrose 10% drip
consider increasing the rate or the glucose
concentration (usually require 6-8 mg/kg/min
of glucose delivery).

8. If blood sugar level (BSL) 1.5 – 2.5
mmol/l and asymptomatic
• Give supplementary feed (EBM or formula) as
soon as possible.
• If BSL remains < 2.6 mmol/l and baby refuses
feeds, give dextrose 10% drip.
• If baby is on dextrose 10% drip, consider
stepwise increment of glucose infusion rate by
2 mg/kg/min until blood sugar is > 2.6
mmol/L.

9. Next step to monitor glucose
• • If blood sugar is < 2.6 mmol/l, re-check
glucometer half hourly.
• • If blood sugar > 2.6 mmol/l for 2 readings:
Monitor hourly x 2, Then 2 hourly X 2, Then to
4-6 hourly if blood sugar remains normal.

10. Persistent Hypoglycaemia
• Re-evaluate the infant
• Confirm hypoglycaemia with RBS but treat as such while awaiting
RBS result.
• Increase volume by 30ml/kg/day and/or increase dextrose
concentration to 12.5% or 15% . Concentrations >12.5% must be
infused through a central line.
• If hypoglycaemia still persists despite glucose delivery >8-10
mg/kg/min, consider glucagon 40 mcg/kg stat then 10-50mcg/kg/h.
Glucagon is only useful where there is sufficient liver stores, thus
should not be used for SGA babies or in adrenal insufficiency.
• In others especially SGA, give IV Hydrocortisone 2.5 -5 mg/kg /dose
bd.
• There may be hyperinsulinaemia in growth retarded babies as well.

12. Recurrent or resistant hypoglycaemia
• Consider this if failure to maintain normal
blood sugar levels despite a glucose infusion
of 15 mg/kg/min, or
• When stabilization is not achieved by 7 days
of life. High levels of glucose infusion may be
needed in the infants to achieve euglycemia.

13. Differential diagnoses of Recurrent or
resistant hypoglycemia
• Hyperinsulinaemic states (e.g.Beckwith-
Wiedemann syndr, Nesidioblastosis)
• Adrenal insufficiency.
• Galactosaemia.
• Metabolic (e.g. fatty acid oxidation disorders)
and mitochondrial disorders.

14. Investigations For Recurrent or
resistant hypoglycaemia
• Insulin , cortisol, growth hormone levels
• Serum ketones
• Urine for organic acids

15. Medical treatment
• As per protocol for Management of Persistent
Hypoglycaemia.
• PO Diazoxide 10-25mg/kg/day in threedivided
doses
- Reduces insulin secretion, therefore useful in
hyperinsulinaemia.
- Not to be used in SGA infants.
• SC Octreotide (synthetic somatostatin) 2-10
μg/kg/day bd/tds or as infusion

16. Pearls and Pitfalls in Management
• Maintain some oral feeds. Breastfeeding is
encouraged
• Feed baby with much milk as tolerated and
maintain glucose infusion
• Avoid multiple boluses of 10 percent glucose
• Bolus given must followed by infusion of glucose
• Consider problems like cardiac failure, cerebral
edema and renal failure. Ensure appropriate fluid
restriction.
• RBS should be taken