title: Survey of the definition and screening of neonatal hypoglycaemia in Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the approach to identifying neonatal hypoglycaemia and the definition of neonatal hypoglycaemia used by neonatal paediatricians in Australian Level 3 neonatal intensive care units (NICU).
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was sent to the 101 neonatal paediatricians in the 22 Level 3 NICU in Australia asking their method of screening for, and definition of, neonatal hypoglycaemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Responses were received from 70 neonatal paediatricians, including all 22 directors. A bedside glucose meter is used in 19 of 22 NICU to screen for hypoglycaemia, whilst one NICU uses a glucose analyzer and another NICU uses a visual colour comparison method. One NICU does not screen, but has blood glucose measured in a satellite laboratory. If the screening method suggests hypoglycaemia, 62 of 63 neonatal paediatricians proceed to blood glucose determination in a laboratory, mostly using plasma samples. Based on the laboratory measurement, the definition of neonatal hypoglycaemia ranged from < 1.1 to 3.0 mmol/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of neonatal paediatricians in Australian NICU screen for neonatal hypoglycaemia using a bedside glucose meter. There is a wide range in the definition of neonatal hypoglycaemia from < 1.1 to 3.0 mmol/L.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Bonacruz
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Leslie
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wyndham
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koumantakis
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009359:Neonatology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose