Incidence, risk factors and complications of hyperglycemia in very low birth weight infants

Outcomes of very preterm infants with neonatal hyperglycaemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association between hyperglycaemia and adverse outcomes in very preterm infants.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data were pooled separately for adjusted and unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) using random-effects model. Subgroup analysis was conducted based on study design (cohort and case control).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Association between hyperglycaemia in preterm neonates (<32 weeks or <1500 g) and mortality and morbidities.

FINDINGS

Forty-six studies (30 cohort and 16 case control) with data from 34 527 infants were included. Meta-analysis of unadjusted ORs from cohort studies found hyperglycaemia to be significantly associated with mortality, any-grade intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), severe IVH, any-stage retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), severe ROP, sepsis, chronic lung disease and disability. However, pooling of adjusted ORs found significant associations only for mortality (adjusted OR (CI): 2.37 (1.40 to 4.01); I²: 36%; 6 studies), 'Any grade IVH' (adjusted OR (CI): 2.60 (1.09 to 6.20); I²: 0%; 2 studies) and 'Any stage ROP' (adjusted OR (CI): 3.70 (1.55 to 8.84); I²: 0%; 2 studies). Meta-regression analysis found glucose levels >10 mmol/L to be associated with increased odds of mortality compared with <10 mmol/L. Pooled analysis from case-control studies were similar to cohort studies for most outcomes but limited by small sample size. Longer duration of hyperglycaemia was associated with adverse outcomes. GRADE of evidence was 'Low' or 'Very low'.

CONCLUSION

Hyperglycaemia in very preterm infants is associated with higher odds of mortality, any-grade IVH and any-stage ROP. A limitation was lack of availability of adjusted ORs from many of the included studies.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42020193016.

Influence of innate immune activation on endocrine and metabolic pathways in infancy

Prematurity is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Premature infants often require extended hospital stays, with increased risk of developing infection compared with term infants. A picture is emerging of wide-ranging deleterious consequences resulting from innate immune system activation in the newborn infant. Those who survive infection have been exposed to a stimulus that can impose long-lasting alterations into later life. In this review, we discuss sepsis-driven alterations in integrated neuroendocrine and metabolic pathways and highlight current knowledge gaps in respect of neonatal sepsis. We review established biomarkers for sepsis and extend the discussion to examine emerging findings from human and animal models of neonatal sepsis that propose novel biomarkers for early identification of sepsis. Future research in this area is required to establish a greater understanding of the distinct neonatal signature of early and late-stage infection, to improve diagnosis, curtail inappropriate antibiotic use, and promote precision medicine through a biomarker-guided empirical and adjunctive treatment approach for neonatal sepsis. There is an unmet clinical need to decrease sepsis-induced morbidity in neonates, to limit and prevent adverse consequences in later life and decrease mortality.