Mechanism of neonatal hypoglycemia after late preterm steroids: are fetal metabolic effects responsible?





Objective


Betamethasone administration in the late preterm period (34 0/7–36 5/7 weeks’ gestation) not only reduces neonatal respiratory morbidity but also increases neonatal hypoglycemia through an uncertain mechanism. Based on data from pregnant individuals with diabetes, excessive amounts of maternal glucose can cross the placenta and cause fetal hyperinsulinemia, which can cause neonatal hypoglycemia at birth. Given that betamethasone can also increase maternal glucose levels, our objective was to explore the potential mechanisms for late preterm steroid-induced neonatal hypoglycemia by measuring the fetal metabolic effects of antenatal late preterm betamethasone and assessing the relationship of the fetal metabolic effects with neonatal hypoglycemia.


Study Design


This was a secondary analysis of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network Antenatal Late Preterm Steroids trial, a randomized trial of antenatal betamethasone vs placebo in participants with threatened late preterm birth (2010–2015). Mother-neonate dyads with stored umbilical cord blood plasma were included. Major congenital anomalies were excluded. C-peptide, insulin, leptin, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1) were measured in the umbilical cord blood plasma and compared between the betamethasone and placebo groups. Multivariable generalized linear regression estimated the association between the betamethasone and biomarker levels. Subsequently, the associations between the fetal biomarkers and neonatal hypoglycemia (glucose<40 mg/dL) were investigated with multivariable logistic regression. This secondary analysis was approved by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institutional Review Board. All the tests were two-tailed, and statistical significance was defined as P <.05.


Results


Of 2,831 participants in the primary trial, 203 met the inclusion criteria for this analysis: 106 (52%) were exposed to betamethasone, and 97 (48%) were exposed to placebo. A total of 173 (85%) participants delivered preterm, and 23 (11%) had gestational diabetes mellitus. The baseline characteristics were similar between the groups ( Supplemental Table 1 ). Overall, 61 (30%) neonates had hypoglycemia: 35 (33%) were exposed to betamethasone and 26 (27%) were exposed to a placebo. Betamethasone exposure was associated with higher levels of C-peptide, insulin, and leptin but not of IGFBP-1 ( Figure ). There was no effect modification by gestational diabetes, but there was effect modification by the duration of time from study drug administration to delivery, whereby the associations between betamethasone and C-peptide, insulin, and leptin were the strongest among participants who delivered between 12 to 24 hours after study drug administration ( Supplemental Table 2 ). Fetal C-peptide and insulin levels of >90th percentile, were associated with higher odds of neonatal hypoglycemia (adjusted odds ratio 3.16, 95% confidence interval 1.08–9.24 and adjusted odds ratio 6.42, 95% confidence interval 2.11–19.60, respectively; Supplemental Table 3 ).




Figure


Association of betamethasone and fetal metabolic biomarkers compared to placebo

Adjusted for maternal body mass index, gestational diabetes mellitus, number of hours from study drug exposure to delivery, and hospital as a random effect. Number of unquantifiable values: C-peptide (n=1), insulin (n=1), and IGFBP-1 (n=68).

CI , confidence interval; IGFBP-1 , insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1.

Battarbee. Mechanism of neonatal hypoglycemia after late preterm steroids. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022.


Conclusion


Betamethasone given in the late preterm period is associated with fetal metabolic alterations such as hyperinsulinemia, and these alterations are associated with 3- to 6-fold higher odds of neonatal hypoglycemia. Although the results of this analysis warrant further validation, the mechanism of late preterm steroid-induced neonatal hypoglycemia may be similar to that observed in neonates born to pregnant people with diabetes mellitus. Further research targeting the fetal metabolic effects demonstrated here is needed to determine if the increased risk of neonatal hypoglycemia after late preterm steroids can be prevented.


Acknowledgments


The authors thank Felecia Ortiz, RN, BSN and Sabine Bousleiman, RNC, MSN, MPH, for protocol development and coordination between clinical research centers and Kathleen Jablonski, PhD for protocol and data management. The authors also thank Ronald Wapner, MD; Elizabeth A. Thom, PhD; Carol Blaisdell, MD; and Catherine Spong, MD, for protocol development and oversight.


Appendix


In addition to the authors, other members of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network are as follows:


The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC: K. Clark, J. Thorp, S. Timlin, R. Bass, K. Dorman, S. Brody (WakeMed Health & Hospitals), J. Warren (Mission Health System)


Columbia University, New York, NY: S. Bousleiman, R. Wapner, M. DiVito, M. Talucci, L. Plante (Drexel University), C. Tocci (Drexel University), M. Hoffman (Christiana Care Health Systems), S. Lynch (Christiana Care Health Systems), A. Ranzini (St. Peter’s University Hospital), M. Lake (St. Peter’s University Hospital), J. Smulian (Lehigh Valley Health Network), D. Skupski (New York Hospital Queens)


The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston-Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX: F. Ortiz, B. Sibai, M. Hutchinson, P. Givens, and L. Garcia (LBJ General Hospital)


The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL: S. Harris, J. Biggio, A. Todd, L. Merin, G. Adams, M. Tew, J. Grant


The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX: A. Salazar, G. Saade, L. McCoy, B. Aguillon, M. Wilson, J. Sikes, G. Hankins, G. Olson, H. Harirah


Brown University, Providence, RI: D. Allard, D. Rouse, L. Beati, B. Wallin, J. Rousseau, B. Hughes


The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH: F. Johnson, J. Iams, M. Prasad, D. McKenna, R. Ozug, T. Dible, K. Snow, K. Fennig, S. Webster, M. Donohue


The University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, UT: K. Hill, E. Clark, A. Sowles, S. Timothy, P. Reed (deceased; Intermountain Healthcare), M. Varner


MetroHealth Medical Center-Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH: M. Duchon, E. Chien, W. Dalton, C. Milluzzi, L. Wolfe, K. Kushner, B. Mercer


Northwestern University, Chicago, IL: G. Mallett, W. Grobman, A. Peaceman, L.Stein, M. Dinsmoor (NorthShore University Health System), K. Paychek (NorthShore University HealthSystem)


University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO: K. Hale, R. Gibbs, M. Hoffman, J.C. Carey, H. Galan, K. Heyborne, T. Metz, A. Rosenberg


Duke University, Durham, NC: T. Bishop, G. Swamy, A. Murtha, R. Heine, C. Grotegut, L. Brancazio


Stanford University, Stanford, CA: K. Kushniruk, M. Norton, Y. El-Sayed, D. Lyell, A. Sit, C. Willson, A. Monk, E. Kogut, R. Knapp


The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX: L. Moseley, B. Casey, J. Price, M. Santillan, J. Gerald A. Sias, K. Gonzales


University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA: H. Simhan, S. Caritis, H. Birkland, P. Cotroneo


Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR: L. Pereira, J. Tolosa, C. McEvoy, M. Rincon, J. Snyder


Wayne State University, Detroit, MI: N. Hauff, Y. Sorokin


The George Washington University Biostatistics Center, Washington, D.C.: E. Thom, V. Momirova, G. Heinrich, T. Billingsley, T. Spangler


National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD: C. Blaisdell


Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD: C. Spong, S. Tolivaisa


MFMU Network Steering Committee Chair (Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC): J. P. VanDorsten, MD.



Supplemental Table 1

Maternal demographic, obstetrical, and neonatal characteristics among participants treated with antenatal betamethasone compared with those treated with placebo








































































































































































































































































Characteristics Antenatal betamethasone (n=106) Placebo (n=97) P -value
Maternal body mass index (kg/m 2 ) 31.9 (28.3–37.9) 31.5 (27.1–36.6) .54
Total pregnancy weight gain (kg) 10.9 (6.8–15.0) 12.7 (8.6–16.0) .09
Maternal age (y) 28.5 (24.0–34.0) 27.0 (22.0–33.0) .10
Race or ethnicity .65
Non-Hispanic Black 30 (28.3) 22 (22.7)
Non-Hispanic White 39 (36.8) 37 (38.1)
Hispanic 36 (34.0) 38 (39.2)
Other 1 (0.9) 0
Nulliparous 40 (37.7) 42 (43.3) .42
Cigarette use during pregnancy 19 (17.9) 11 (11.3) .19
Alcohol use during pregnancy 2 (1.9) 2 (2.1) 1.00
Hypertensive disorder during pregnancy .32
None 65 (61.3) 61 (62.9)
Gestational hypertension 10 (9.4) 6 (6.2)
Preeclampsia without severe features 10 (9.4) 16 (16.5)
Preeclampsia with severe features 21 (19.8) 14 (14.4)
Gestational diabetes mellitus 12 (11.3) 11 (11.3) 1.00
Chronic hypertension 12 (11.3) 14 (14.4) .51
Asthma requiring medical therapy 7 (6.6) 11 (11.3) .24
Thyroid disorder .72
None 100 (94.3) 92 (94.8)
Hypothyroidism 4 (3.8) 2 (2.1)
Hyperthyroidism 2 (1.9) 3 (3.1)
Gestational age at randomization (wk) 35.6 (34.7–36.1) 35.4 (34.9–36.3) .83
Time from randomization to delivery (h) 27.7 (15.7–61.9) 31.9 (14.6–96.2) .43
Number of doses received .70
1 dose 42 (39.6) 41 (42.3)
2 doses 64 (60.4) 56 (57.7)
Reason for anticipated late preterm birth .73
Preterm labor with intact membranes 33 (31.1) 32 (33.0)
PPROM 25 (23.6) 19 (19.6)
Hypertensive disorder of pregnancy 30 (28.3) 29 (29.9)
Fetal growth restriction 1 (0.9) 2 (2.1)
Oligohydramnios 2 (1.9) 0
Other 15 (14.2) 15 (15.5)
Time from membrane rupture to delivery (h) 5.1 (1.2–15.8) 5.7 (0.5–11.9) .46
Clinical chorioamnionitis 1 (0.9) 4 (4.1) .20
Intrapartum antibiotics 12 (11.3) 8 (8.2) .46
Type of labor .83
No labor, cesarean delivery 11 (10.4) 10 (10.3)
Spontaneous 22 (20.8) 24 (24.7)
Spontaneous, augmented 21 (19.8) 15 (15.5)
Induced 52 (49.1) 48 (49.5)
Time from labor onset to delivery (h) a 14.3 (6.4–19.2) 12.7 (8.1–19.6) .89
Gestational age at delivery (wk) 35.9 (35.1–36.7) 36.1 (35.1–36.7) .23
Birthweight (g) 2759 (2230–2840) 2553 (2350–3024) .20
Small-for-gestational-age 22 (20.8) 17 (17.5) .56
Male sex 65 (61.3) 60 (61.9) .94
Time from delivery to first feeding (h) 2.1 (1.0–7.4) 2.5 (1.1–11.8) .50
Breastfeeding 74 (69.8) 72 (74.2) .48
Minor congenital malformations b 2 (1.9) 3 (3.1) .67

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Aug 28, 2022 | Posted by in GYNECOLOGY | Comments Off on Mechanism of neonatal hypoglycemia after late preterm steroids: are fetal metabolic effects responsible?

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