Relationship between Neonatal Cerebral Fuels and Neurosensory Outcomes at 3 Years in Well Babies: Follow-Up of the Glucose in Well Babies (GLOW) Study

Abstract

Plain Language SummaryIn the Glucose in Well babies and their later Neurodevelopment (GLOWiNg) study, we investigated whether the availability of brain fuels in healthy term babies during the first 5 days after birth was associated with their neurodevelopmental progress at 3 years of age. We had measured plasma glucose, lactate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations when the children were babies, as these are the most common brain fuels. We used the Ages and Stages questionnaire, which is completed by parents, to assess the child’s development in areas including communication, motor skills (fine and gross), and problem solving.We studied 64 families whose babies were part of the Glucose in Well Babies (GLOW) study in New Zealand. Using both structural equation modelling and linear regression, we found that even though many babies experienced episodes of low plasma glucose concentrations, there was no detectable relationship between these episodes and developmental progress at 3 years of age. We explored other factors, including glucose concentrations, total fuels available, and the duration of low glucose episodes, and found no significant associations. Our results suggest that in healthy term babies, episodes of low glucose concentrations in the first days after birth may be part of the normal metabolic transition after birth and may not have long-term implications for neurodevelopment. However, larger studies using different assessment tools are needed to confirm these findings.