Tag Archives: Hypoglycemia

Is glucose gel safe? Is it necessary?

Posted on 25 August 2022 by Keith Barrington

The Auckland group has been studying the treatment and implications of neonatal hypoglycaemia for many years now, with unique high quality studies. Two of their recent publications have addressed the safety of glucose gel for hypoglycaemia, the first (St Clair … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Antenatal steroids prior to late preterm delivery; still many questions, but a major shift in practice.

Posted on 7 April 2022 by Keith Barrington

It can sometimes take years for major advances in medicine, based on clear evidence of improved outcomes, to lead to shifts in practice. One example is the initial demonstration by Liggins and Howie that antenatal steroids (ANS) improved survival of … Continue reading →

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We need to rethink neonatal hypoglycaemia

Posted on 4 April 2022 by Keith Barrington

A great deal of time and effort is expended to detect and treat low blood sugars in the newborn. Studies to determine risk factors, monitoring schedules, and treatment strategies have taken a great deal of effort, and implementing the recommended … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Hypoglycaemia, symptomatic or non-?

Posted on 15 March 2022 by Keith Barrington

Many algorithms for detection and treatment of hypoglycaemia make a big deal of whether the hypoglycaemia is symptomatic or not. Symptomatic hypoglycaemia is supposed to be more dangerous in the long term, and requires more aggressive treatment. But symptoms accredited … Continue reading →

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Glucose screening and treatment in the newborn; what now?

Posted on 7 May 2020 by Keith Barrington

This is a field that stagnated in darkness for a while, “But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and science is the sun” (with apologies to Romeo). Recent research has shown that 1. In healthy … Continue reading →

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Let it GLOW… Normal blood sugar profiles in newborn infants.

Posted on 6 May 2020 by Keith Barrington

To stay with this recent “hot topic” of this blog; what low blood sugar threshold should be used for intervention in the neonatal period? The usual risk factors (SGA, LGA, IDM, late preterm, maternal beta-blockers) select a group of babies … Continue reading →

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What is hypoglycaemia? Part 3. Part of the answer!

Posted on 14 February 2020 by Keith Barrington

The only way that we can find the answer to the question of what threshold blood sugar we should use to treat babies with low blood sugars is a prospective RCT, and Behold! Look! Lo! How say you? (van Kempen … Continue reading →

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What is hypoglycemia? part 2

Posted on 13 February 2020 by Keith Barrington

The new statement from the CPS, and many others, don’t discuss which measurement that we are really interested in, is it blood glucose, or plasma glucose? The different data sources are discussed as if they were all measuring the same … Continue reading →

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What is hypoglycaemia? Part 1.

Posted on 11 February 2020 by Keith Barrington

The Canadian Pediatric Society has just published new guidance for screening and treatment of infants at risk for neonatal hypoglycaemia. The older statement needed to be revised, in particular to include the use of oral glucose gel as an option, … Continue reading →

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Glucose gel for hypoglycemia in at-risk babies? Prophylaxis no, treatment yes!

Posted on 24 April 2018 by Keith Barrington

In the ongoing story of how and when to treat lower than average blood sugars in at-risk newborn infants, some clarity for some points is emerging. We know the following: 1. some babies have lower blood sugars than others (!) … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged | 8 Comments