Neonatal hypoglycaemia : a review

Abstract

The brain accounts for 20-25% of the total body glucose metabolism (1).(2). The brain is dependent on a continuous supply of glucose transported by the blood, since the endogenous levels of glucose in the brain are not sufficient (3),(4). When the metabolic demand supersedes the availability of glucose, hypoglycemia ensues, which leads to neuronal injury and ultimately may even result in hypoglycaemic coma and death (5). Maintaining a plasma glucose level of 4-6mmol/L is essential for human survival, especially when concerning the brain. Hypoglycemia is achieved when these values decrease to 3mmol/I or lower (6,7). Moreover, the most common metabolic problem in the newborn is neonatal hypoglycaemia, occurring in 19% of neonates (8-12).