ESPE Abstracts

Infant hypoglycaemia, a condition characterized by abnormally low blood glucose levels in newborns and/or young children, is a critical issue that can lead to significant short- and long-term complications if not promptly recognized and managed. This condition often arises due to various etiologies, including maternal diabetes, intrauterine growth restriction, prematurity, endocrine diseases, or metabolic disorders. Clinically, infants with hypoglycaemia may present with non-specific symptoms such as agitation, lethargy, poor feeding, and in severe cases, seizures or coma. Early identification through routine blood glucose monitoring, especially in high-risk infants, is essential. Treatment primarily involves early and frequent feeding, intravenous glucose administration, and monitoring to prevent recurrent episodes. Understanding the risk factors, pathophysiology, and appropriate management strategies is crucial for healthcare providers to minimize the potential neurological sequelae associated with this condition and to avoid superfluous diagnostic tests. During the session, we will discuss the current knowledge about infant hypoglycaemia in terms of epidemiology, impact on health, and potential refinements in patient-centered education. We will address current and promising treatments of hypoglycaemia and describe insights from recent studies on hormonal dysregulation. Moreover, we will characterize severe hypoglycaemia in terms of occurrence and actual care in real-life setting, and discuss existing possibilities for prevention and early detection of acute hypoglycaemic events.