Comparison of blood glucose level between breast--fed and formula--fed term babies

  • Omar Sazali Aldy
  • Bugis M Lubis
  • Pertin Sianturi
  • Emil Azlin
  • Guslihan D. Tjipta
Keywords: hypoglycemia, blood glucose concentration, breastfed, formula-fed, infants

Abstract

Background Hypoglycemia is common in newborns in the first
few hours after birth. This may also occur in term babies. Data
of hypoglycemia in breastfed and formula-fed infants have been
limited.
Objective To compare blood glucose levels between breast-fed and
formula-fed healthy term babies at 1, 24 and 48 hours of life.
Methods A cross sectional study was performed on 32 neonates
between January and March 2007 in the Dr. Pirngadi Hospital.
The subjects was classified into two groups, the breastfed and
formula-fed groups. Blood glucose level was examined at 1, 24,
and 48 hours after birth and level ofless than 2.6 mmol/1 defined
the presence of hypoglycemia.
Results There was statistically significant difference in mean
blood glucose level at 1 hour of life between breastfed [59.25
(SD 3.38) mg/dl] and formula-fed infants [55.96 (SD 8.60) mg/
dl], (P=0.049), while no significant difference was found after
24 hours of life, i.e., 62.59 (SD 3.57) mg/dl vs. 61.21 (SD 6.87)
mg/dl, P=0.319 and also after 48 hours of life, i.e., 67.34 (SD
5.18) mg/dl vs. 66.75 (SD 7.76) mg/dl, P=0.720.
Conclusion The blood glucose level at one hour after birth was
significantly different in breastfed compared to formula-fed infants,
while no statistically significant difference was found at 24 hours
and 48 hours after birth. The mean blood glucose at 24 hours of
life was lower than that of 48 hours after birth

Author Biographies

Omar Sazali Aldy
Department of Child Health, Medical School, North Sumatera
University, Haji Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, Indonesia.
Bugis M Lubis
Department of Child Health, Medical School, North Sumatera
University, Haji Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, Indonesia.
Pertin Sianturi
Department of Child Health, Medical School, North Sumatera
University, Haji Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, Indonesia.
Emil Azlin
Department of Child Health, Medical School, North Sumatera
University, Haji Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, Indonesia.
Guslihan D. Tjipta
Department of Child Health, Medical School, North Sumatera
University, Haji Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, Indonesia.

References

1. Hoseth E, Ebbesen F. Blood glucose levels in a popula-
tion of healthy, breast fed, term infants of appropriate
size for gestational age. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal
2000;83:El17 -9.
2. Ho HT, Yeung WKY, Young BWY. Evaluation of "point of
care" devices in the measurement of low blood glucose in
neonatal practice. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal 2004;89:
356-9.
3. Lawrence RA, Lawrence RM. Physiology of lactation. In:
Lawrence RA, Lawrence RM, editors. Breastfeeding: a guide
for the medical profession. 6th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier
Mosby; 2005. p. 65-103.
4. Madiyono B. Hipoglikemia. In: Markum AH, Ismael S, Alatas
H, editors. Buku ajar ilmu kesehatan anak. 1st ed. Jakarta:
Balai Penerbit FKUI; 1991. p. 349-50.
5. Rooy L, Hawdon J. Nutritional factors that affect the post-
natal metabolic adaptation of full-term small- and large-for-
gestational-age infants. Pediatrics 2002; 109:1-8.
6. Hawdon JM, Green AA. Disorders of blood glucose ho-
moestasis in the neonate. In: Rennie MJ, Roberton CRN,
editors. Textbook neonatology. 3rd ed. Toronto: Churchill
Livingstoneo; 1999. p. 939-56.
7. Costello AM, Manandhar DS. Neonatal hypoglicaemia in
Nepal 2. Availability of alternative fuels. Arch Dis Child
Fetal Neonatal 2000;82:F52-8.
8. Heck L.J, Erenberg A. Serum glucose levels in term neonates
during the first 48 hours of life. J Pediatr 198 7; 110: 119-22.
9. Hawdon JM, Platt MPW, Aynsley-green. A patterns of
metabolic adaptation for preterm and term infants in the
first neonatal week. Arch Dis Child 1992;67:357-65.
10. World Health Organization. Hypoglycemia of the newborn:
review of the literature. Geneva: WHO; 1997.
11. Diwakar KK, Sasidhar MV. Plasma glucose level in term
infants who are appropriate size for gestation and exclusively
breast fed. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal2002;87:46-8.
12. Pal DK, Manandhar DS. Neonatal hypoglicaemia in Nepall.
Prevalence and risk factors. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal
2000;82:46-51.
13. Wight N, Marinelli KA. Guidelines for glucose monitor-
ing and treatment of hypoglycemia in breastfed neonates.
Breastfeeding medicine 2006; 1 Suppl 1:178-84.
14. Cornblath M, Hawdon JM. Controversies regarding
definition of neonatal hypoglycemia: suggested operational
threshold. Pediatrics 2000; 105:1141-5.
Published
2008-08-31
How to Cite
1.
Aldy O, Lubis B, Sianturi P, Azlin E, Tjipta G. Comparison of blood glucose level between breast--fed and formula--fed term babies. PI [Internet]. 31Aug.2008 [cited 13Nov.2024];48(4):209-3. Available from: https://paediatricaindonesiana.org/index.php/paediatrica-indonesiana/article/view/568
Section
Articles
Received 2016-09-10
Accepted 2016-09-10
Published 2008-08-31