FREQUENCY OF HYPOCALCEMIA IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS AT HOSPITALS IN KASHAN IN 1997

Considering the fact that early hypocalcemia is the most common type of neonatal hypocalcemia which manifests during the first few days of Iife (72 hours) and that hypocalcemia in low birth weight neonates is very common, this descriptive study on hypocalcemia was conducted to determine the frequency of hypocalcemia in low birth weight neonates in the city of Kashan in the first 9 months of the year 1997. A total of 250 infants weighing less than 2.5 kg were included in this study. Variables such as gestational age, APGAR score, birth weight, preeclampsia of mother and age of pregnancy were recorded. All of the newborns were checked and laboratory tests for serum calcium level were performed on them. Any full-term infant with a serum calcium level less than 8 mg/dL or preterm infants with serum calcium levels less than 7 mg/dL were identified as hypocalcemic infants. The results of the study showed that 22.4% of the infants were hypocalcemic, most of these being neonates below ls00g weight. The frequency of hypocalcemia in infants whose mothers were afflicted by pre-eclampsia was 30.8%. The frequency of hypocalcemia in infants with low APGAR score was 28.8% and for those neonates with a normal APGAR score, 21.2% (p value<O.O 1). The frequency rate of hypocalcemia in full-term and pre-term infants was 29.7 and 20.2% respectively (p-value<O.Os). Considering the high prevalence of hypocalcemia in low birth weight infants, it is recommended that all infants weighing less than 2.5 kg with or without clinical signs undergo screening tests and their level of calcium measured so that prompt treatment can be provided to prevent the serious consequences of this disorder.