Dextrose gel could treat hypoglycemia in newborns

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health Article Date: 25 Sep 2013 - 0:00 PDT

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A new study suggests that dextrose gel should be used to treat low blood sugars in newborn babies (neonatal-hypoglycemia) - a common and preventable cause of brain damage.

Dextrose gel is an oral glucose gel, already used as form of treatment for reversal of hypoglycemia in diabetics. But researchers from New Zealand say the gel could be a cheap, effective and easy-to-use treatment for hypoglycemic newborn infants.

At present, treatment for late preterm and term babies suffering from hypoglycemia involves additional feeding and repeated blood tests in order to measure blood sugar levels.

However, many babies are admitted to intensive care and given intravenous glucose as a result of continuous low blood sugar levels.

According to the Yale School of Medicine, around 1 in 3 newborn babies suffer from hypoglycemia. Newborns are at higher risk of the condition if the mother is diabetic, if they are small for their gestational age, or if they are growth-restricted, preterm or born under significant stress.

Severe or prolonged hypoglycemia in newborns could lead to seizures and serious brain injury.

The study, published in The Lancet, involved analyzing 514 babies at high risk of hypoglycemia aged 35 weeks' gestation or older. All newborns were enrolled in the study within 48 hours after birth.

Of the newborns, 242 (47%) developed hypoglycemia and were randomly assigned to a treatment of either a 40% dextrose gel or a placebo gel. Six doses were administered over 48 hours by applying the gel to the inside of the babies' cheeks (buccal).

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Dextrose gel could treat hypoglycemia in newborns