Glucose monitoring and management in the NICU – how are we doing?

Differentiating physiological versus pathological glucose levels during the period of transition following birth makes managing glucose control in the newborn challenging. Historically methods for measuring glucose have been dependent on technology designed for patients with diabetes, with different thresholds for intervention and fewer confounding variables. When managing extremely preterm infants requiring intensive care, the problem of immaturity is combined with critical care pathologies. Recent developments in monitoring may improve understanding of the physiological versus the pathological implications, and help to guide future management.

Tanya Li, Lynn Thomson, Amanda Ogilvy Stuart, Kathryn Beardsall