NEONATAL HYPOCALCEMIA IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS

1 May 1970

journal article
Published by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in Pediatrics

Vol. 45 (5) , 773-781
https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.45.5.773

Abstract

During an 8-month period, 37 of 124 infants (29.8%) admitted to a low birth weight (LBW) nursery developed hypocalcemia at a mean age of 29 hours. Ten factors were associated with hypocalcemia, three of which appear particularly relevant: (1) low gestational age (32 weeks or less) with appropriate birth weight, (2) low oral calcium intake, (3) correction of acidosis with NaHCO₃. Biochemical determinations showed that, in hypocalcemic infants, there were: (1) lower serum total calcium values at 8 hours of life, prior to the actual development of hypocalcemia at 29 hours; (2) elevated serum phosphorus values; (3) acidotic values in the first hours of life, corrected to normal values at the time of hypocalcemia, and (4) lower serum protein values at 8 hours of life. Three signs were significantly related to hypocalcemia, namely, twitching of one or more extremities, high-pitched cry, and hypotonia.

Keywords

HYPOCALCEMIA

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