The Journal of pediatrics
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The Journal of pediatrics · Dec 2007
Randomized Controlled TrialEarly elective insulin therapy can reduce hyperglycemia and increase insulin-like growth factor-I levels in very low birth weight infants.
To investigate the use of insulin throughout the first week of life in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants (birth weight <1.5 kg) to improve glucose control and increase insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels. IGF-I is the dominant hormone involved in fetal growth, and low levels have been implicated in neonatal morbidities, such as retinopathy of prematurity. ⋯ Early insulin therapy improves blood glucose control and increases IGF-I bioactivity levels. This could result in less morbidity associated with hyperglycemia and reduced IGF-I levels.