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Aim: To study the outcomes of very preterm infants with hyperglycaemia treated with Insulin. Methods: This is a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, EMCARE and MedNar databases were searched in May 2022. Data were pooled separately for adjusted and unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) using random‐effects model. Main outcome measures: Mortality and morbidities (e.g. Necrotising enterocolitis [NEC], retinopathy of prematurity [ROP]) in very preterm (<32 weeks) or very low birth weight infants (<1500 g) after treatment of hyperglycaemia with insulin. Results: Sixteen studies with data from 5482 infants were included. Meta‐analysis of unadjusted ORs from cohort studies showed that insulin treatment was significantly associated with increased mortality [OR 2.98 CI (1.03 to 8.58)], severe ROP [OR 2.23 CI (1.34 to 3.72)] and NEC [OR 2.19 CI (1.11 to 4)]. However, pooling of adjusted ORs did not show significant associations for any outcomes. The only included RCT found better weight gain in the insulin group, but no effect on mortality or morbidities. Certainty of evidence was 'Low' or 'Very low'. Conclusion: Very low certainty evidence suggests that Insulin therapy may not improve outcomes of very preterm infants with hyperglycaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We evaluated a strict strategy that aimed to avoid fluctuations in glucose infusion rates (GIRs) and assessed the independent effects of maximal daily GIRs on the hyperglycaemia risk among extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants receiving early enhanced parenteral nutrition.Methods: This study comprised all ELBW infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Norway, before (2007-2009) and after (2012-2013) implementing a strict GIR strategy. Severe hyperglycaemia was defined as two consecutive blood glucose values over 12 mmol/L. Maximum daily GIRs (mg/kg/min) were categorised into low (<5.1), intermediate (5.1-7.0) or high (>7.0). Mixed effects logistic regression modelling for repeated measurements was applied to investigate independent determinants of hyperglycaemia.Results: We included 1293 treatment days for 195 infants. The maximum daily GIR decreased (6.3 versus 5.8 mg/kg/min), while mean daily glucose and energy intakes were maintained in the post-strategy period. The prevalence of severe hyperglycaemia (48% versus 23%), insulin use (39% versus 16%) and mortality (26% versus 10%) fell. Intermediate GIR (odds ratio 2.11) and high GIR (odds ratio 2.85) were significant independent predictors of severe hyperglycaemia compared to low GIR.Conclusion: A strict GIR strategy reduced the risk of severe hyperglycaemia and adverse outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic review was undertaken to assess the effect of using insulin therapy in the treatment for stress hyperglycaemia in children without preexisting diabetes in: achieving normoglycaemia, improving symptoms associated with hyperglycaemia and survival, and to determine if any adverse effects were associated with the use of insulin therapy. Conclusion There is currently insufficient evidence for the routine use of insulin therapy in stress hyperglycaemia compared with conventional care in children without preexisting diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The incidence of invasive fungal infection in preterm newborns is rising steadily. Early recognition and treatment are imperative, but diagnosis is difficult as data from microbiological investigations are often poor, and clinical and laboratory signs do not help in differentiating bacterial from fungal infections. We evaluated whether glucose intolerance could represent a possible surrogate marker predictor of invasive fungal infection in preterm neonates. Methods: We performed a case-control study on neonates with birthweight less than 1250 g admitted to our tertiary-level unit during the years 1998–2004 ( n =383), comparing those with invasive fungal infection ( n = 45, group A) to matched controls with late-onset sepsis caused by bacterial agents ( n =46, group B). We investigated in both groups the occurrence of hyperglycaemia (serum glycaemia > 215 mg/dl, i.e. 12 mmol/l) in the first month of life, and its temporal relationship with the episodes of sepsis. Results: Hyperglycaemia occurred significantly more often in group A (21/45, 46.6%) than in group B neonates (11/46, 23.9%) (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.235–4.432, p =0.008). Moreover, in 19 of 21 (90.4%) neonates with hyperglycaemia in group A, the carbohydrate intolerance episode typically occurred 72 h prior to the onset of invasive fungal infection; in contrast, no temporal relationship was found in neonates with bacterial sepsis ( p =0.002). Correction of hyperglycaemia was successfully achieved in all neonates of both groups, with no significant differences in the number of days of insulin treatment needed to normalize glycaemia ( p = 0.15). Conclusions: Hyperglycaemia is significantly more frequent in neonates who subsequently develop fungal rather than bacterial late-onset sepsis, with a typical 3-d interval. We suggest that a preterm neonate whose birthweight is less than 1250 g in its first month of life should be carefully evaluated for systemic fungal infection whenever signs of carbohydrate intolerance occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]