Am J Perinatol 2019; 36(02): 219-224
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1667293
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Normal Point of Care Glucose Values after Birth in the Well-Baby Nursery

Floris Levy-Khademi
1   Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
2   Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
,
Assaf Perry
1   Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
,
Gil Klinger
3   Department of Neonatology, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel
4   Department of Pediatrics, Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
,
Tina Herscovici
3   Department of Neonatology, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel
,
Yair Kasirer
1   Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
5   Department of Neonatology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
,
Ruben Bromiker
5   Department of Neonatology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

29 May 2018

23 June 2018

Publication Date:
30 July 2018 (online)

Abstract

Objective Normal initial blood glucose values in healthy newborns are not well defined and are subject to controversy. Despite substantive research, there is no single initial value of glucose that can be used with certainty of safety in newborns, and thus various protocols and cutoffs have been proposed.

Study Design We sought to characterize the normal values of blood glucose levels in a large cohort of neonates admitted to the well-baby nursery in Shaare Zedek Medical Center. The blood glucose levels were measured with a point of care (POC) glucometer (Accu-Chek Performa) within 180 minutes after birth.

Results The study population included 3,912 newborns with a mean birth weight of 3,322 ± 439 g and a mean gestational age of 39.4 ± 1.3 weeks. Sampling was performed at a median age of 73 minutes (interquartile range [IQR], 55–92 minutes). Median glucose concentration was 58 (IQR, 51–67) mg/dL, and first, third, and fifth percentiles were 34, 39, and 41 mg/dL, respectively.

Conclusion Our data describe the normal range of POC blood glucose levels in healthy neonates on admission to the nursery. Extreme low levels were rare.

 
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