A Retrospective Analysis of the Neurological Evaluation of Cases With Neonatal Hypoglycemia

IntroductionHypoglycemia is a common treatable metabolic disorder in the neonatal period. It can cause several neurological problems if untreated. In this study, the neurological outcomes of cases with hypoglycemia in the neonatal period were examined retrospectively, and the study aimed to determine risk factors and prognostic factors.MethodsIn this retrospective study, cases were followed in the pediatric neurology outpatient clinic between 2019 and 2022, and patients with a history of hypoglycemia in the neonatal period were enrolled and analyzed retrospectively. The laboratory studies and clinical findings of the cases were obtained from follow-up records from the pediatric neurology outpatient clinic retrospectively. Physical examination findings, hypoglycemia levels, and symptoms of hypoglycemia, if any, were obtained retrospectively from the discharge files of the patients.ResultsA total of 70 cases were included in the study. Twenty-eight were girls and 42 were boys. Forty of the cases were preterm. The number of asymptomatic cases was 38, and the number of symptomatic cases was 32. There was no significant difference in regard to the mean lowest serum glucose levels between symptomatic and asymptomatic cases. Thirty-three of the patients had neurological problems such as neuromotor developmental delay, cortical blindness, and epilepsy. Abnormal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were detected in 30 of the symptomatic cases and eight of the asymptomatic cases. The rate of neurological sequelae in asymptomatic cases was found to be significantly lower than in symptomatic cases.ConclusionsPatients who have a symptomatic hypoglycemic period, maternal gestational problems, and abnormal MRI carry a high risk for neurological sequelae, and these findings indicate poor prognosis.