Hypoglycemia is low blood glucose level that may negatively affect neurological and developmental prognosis. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Committee on Fetus and Newborn defined the safe glucose concentrations in the 2011 guideline for newborns at risk for hypoglycemia. This study aimed to investigate the incidence and associated risk factors for hypoglycemia in newborn infants having risk and to assess compliance with the AAP guideline. According to 2011 AAP guideline for hypoglycemia, the newborns at risk for hypoglycemia included in this study were divided to four groups [infant of diabetic mother (IDM), large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants, small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants, and late preterm infants (LPI)]. Of the 207 newborn infants, there were 12 cases in IDM group (5.7%), 79 cases in LGA group (38.1%), 66 cases in SGA group (31.8%) and 50 cases in LPI group (24.1%). The incidences of hypoglycemia in these four groups were 2 (16.6%), 10 (12.7%), 8 (12.2%) and 17 (34%), respectively. Although the gender, delivery method, birth weight and 5-min Apgar score at 5-min were not found to be associated with hypoglycemia (P > 0.05), lower gestational age was determined to be associated with higher incidence of hypoglycemia (P = 0.02). Median first feeding time was 55 min and time between first nutrition and blood glucose measurement was 30 min in all cases. Highest risk for hypoglycemia in early postnatal period was present especially in LPI group. Our compliance levels with the AAP guideline was found to be satisfactory.

Objective: To determine the association between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and acute respiratory tract infections (ALRTI) in newborns. Study design: The study group consisted of 30 term newborns with ALRTI who were admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit. Controls were 30 healthy newborns with the same age as the study group. Newborns and their mothers were tested for serum 25(OH)D levels, with a low level defined as ≤15 ng/mL. Results: The groups were similar in gestational week, birthweight, postnatal age and gender. Forty-three of the 60 infants (including study and control) had low 25(OH)D levels. The median 25(OH)D levels were lower [9.5 ng/mL (IQR = 7.9–12.2)] in the study group than those of the control group [15.5 ng/mL (IQR: 12–18)] (p = 0.0001). The median serum 25(OH)D levels in the mothers of the study group were also lower than those in the mothers of the control group [11.6 ng/mL (IQR = 9.4–15.8) and 17.3 ng/mL (IQR = 13.7–20.6), respectively] (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: Lower blood 25(OH)D levels might be associated with increased risk of ALRTI in term newborn babies. Appropriate vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and early childhood may enhance newborns’ respiratory health.

Objectives: Gamma‐glutamyl transferase (GGT) is commonly measured in newborn infants as a sensitive liver function test; however, reference ranges are mostly based on early studies, including relatively small number of patients. The aim of this study was to emphasise recently changed GGT values because of changed newborns profile admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and establish new cross‐sectional reference ranges for the serum GGT levels in a cohort of neonates between 26 and 42 weeks' gestational age in 1 centre.Methods: From January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2012, liver function tests including serum GGT measurements were performed in 705 newborns who were admitted to NICUs because of different aetiologies at Gazi University School of Medicine Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Infants with Apgar score <8 at the fifth minute, any metabolic or liver disease, cholestasis, congenital infection, culture‐proven sepsis, elevated serum aminotransferases, and who were treated with phenobarbital were excluded. Clinical and laboratory data of 583 neonates were analysed retrospectively. GGT was measured by enzymatic method using the Abbott Architect C16000 autoanalyser. Mean, 2.5th, and 97.5th percentiles were used to express the reference range data.Results: Four hundred sixty‐one GGT values of 200 preterm infants and 501 GGT values of 383 term infants during the first 28 days after birth were analysed. Serum GGT levels of preterm infants in the first 7 days and between 8 and 28 days after delivery were (mean ± standard deviation; 141.81 ± 88.56 U/L and 131.17 ± 85.53 U/L) similar to term infants (139.90 ± 86.46 U/L and 144.56 ± 86.51 U/L), respectively (P = 0.649 and P = 0.087). Serum GGT levels were found to be significantly higher in male infants (no need of query) (145.98 ± 93.68 U/L) than female infants (132.18 ± 78.97 U/L) (P = 0.035), and infants born vaginally (152.24 ± 90.71 U/L) also had higher serum GGT activity than those born by caesarean section (135.38 ± 85.37 U/L) (P = 0.005).Conclusions: A new reference range for serum GGT levels that is higher than previous reference values can identify neonates with truly abnormal results and prevent unnecessary interventions.

Newborns are exposed to a considerable number of painful stimuli. This study is aimed to investigate the effects of 30% glucose solution and nonnutritive sucking on pain perception during venipuncture. Twenty-five term infants were randomized as receiving 30% dextrose (group 1) or sterile water (group 2). Neonatal Infant Pain Scale scores, skin conductance algesimeter recordings, and near-infrared spectroscopy measurements were recorded during the procedure. Neonatal Infant Pain Scale and skin conductance algesimeter results were decreased in both groups from that during venipuncture to after the procedure. Group 1 had lower Neonatal Infant Pain Scale scores compared with group 2 after venipuncture, different from the skin conductance algesimeter, where no difference was observed between groups. In group 1, cerebral blood volume increased after venipuncture. Glucose does not attenuate the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale score and skin conductance algesimeter index during venipuncture, but it leads to a lower Neonatal Infant Pain Scale score after venipuncture unlike the skin conductance algesimeter index, which was not lowered.

To evaluate the adverse effects of noise on hearing. Methods: Thirty-two infants that had been admitted to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and 25 healthy controls were included in this study. N...