You are here

Article Text

Article menu
ESPR sessions
Neonatology
THE USE OF EARLY CONTINUOUS INSULIN INFUSION IN VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS: EFFECTS ON GLUCOSE CONTROL, MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY
  1. K Beardsall1,2,
  2. S Vanhaesebrouck3,
  3. A L OgilvyStuart2,
  4. C Vanhole3,
  5. M van Weissenbruch4,
  6. P Midgley5,
  7. M Thompson6,
  8. M Thio7,
  9. L Cornette8,
  10. I Oussetta6,
  11. I Iglesias7,
  12. C Theyskens9,
  13. C Palmer10,
  14. J S Ahluwalia2,
  15. F De Zegher3,
  16. D B Dunger1
  1. 1Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK,
  2. 2Neonatal Unit, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK,
  3. 3Kindergeneeskunde, UZ, Leuven, Belgium,
  4. 4VU University Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands,
  5. 5Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK,
  6. 6Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Luton, UK,
  7. 7Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain,
  8. 8Afdeling Neonatologie, AZ St-Jan, Brugge, Belgium,
  9. 9ZOL Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk Campus St Jan, Genk, Belgium,
  10. 10Centre for Applied Medical Statistics, University of Cambridge, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Public Health, Cambridge, UK

Abstract

Objective: Studies in adult intensive care have highlighted the importance of insulin and improved glucose control on survival. Very low birth weight (VLBW, birth weight <1500 g) infants requiring intensive care often also have hyperglycaemia during the first week of life. Hyperglycaemia at this time is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate the effect of early intervention with insulin replacement and improved glucose control on mortality and morbidity.

Methods: An international multicentre randomised controlled trial of early insulin replacement in VLBW babies. Infants were randomly assigned (n  =  389) to receive a continuous insulin infusion (0.05 units/kg per hour) with 20% dextrose support or standard neonatal care from the first 7 days of life.

Results: Infants in the early intervention arm had lower mean daily glucose level (6.2 vs 6.7 mmol/l, p = 0.007) and fewer babies had hyperglycaemia for >10% of the first week (21.5% vs 33.5%, p = 0.008). They had significant increased non-protein calorie intake 58.1 (1.0) versus 50.3 (0.8) kcal/kg per litre, p<0.000 and reduction in weight loss in the first week (−0.55 (0.52) vs −0.70 (0.47) p = 0.006). However, there was no reduction in mortality by expected date of delivery. Secondary endpoints including episodes of sepsis, necrotising entercolitis, severity of retinopathy, intracranial haemorrhage, chronic lung disease, days of intensive care and growth at 28 days also showed no significant difference between the two arms of the study.

Conclusions: Prophylactic use of early intravenous insulin alone in VLBW infants does not reduce mortality by expected date of delivery.

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.