Prevalence of stress Hyperglycemia among patients attending to the neonatal and pediatric Emergency wards of Shiraz university of medical sciences

  The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics associated with stress Hyperglycemia among patients attending to the neonatal and pediatric Emergency wards. Patients who require d blood sampling for evaluated of an acute illness from August 1995 to July 1996 to the Namazi hospital of Shiraz medical university were enrolled prospectively for Hyperglycemia ( plasma glucose>150 mg/ DL). A total of 1620 patients ranging from 3 days to 16 years were enrolled. Plasma glucose values ranged from 29 mg/ DL to 593 mg/ DL. 206 patients (12.7℅) had Hyperglycemia. The prevalence of stress Hyperglycemia was significantly higher among patients if they: 1. Were neonates and infants <2 year (20.22℅) versus older children 2_6 year ,(9.8℅), 6_12 year (3.25℅) and adolescents 12_16 year (5.1℅) ( p<0.001). 2. Had acut illnesses (27.2℅) versus more chronic disease (6.8℅) ( p<0.001). 3. Several dehydrated (75.9℅) versus not several dehydrated (10.4℅) ( p<0.001).4. had convulsions in their  recent illness (29.7℅) versus not having convulsions (8.5℅) ( p<0.001). 5. Had vomiting and diarrhea in recent illness (40.3℅) versus not having vomiting and diarrhea (9.1℅) ( p<0.001). 6. Had unstable vital signs (44.3℅) versus stable vital signs (7.5℅) ( p<0.001).7. had been admitted to an intensive care unit, neonatal ICU (80℅), pediatric ICU (62.5℅) and neonatal Emergency room (21.8℅) ( p<0.02). It is concluded that stress Hyperglycemia is a frequent clinical occurrence in a pediatric emergency departments, and it does not appear to be specifically associated with any particular disease but is significantly related to  the severity , acuity of the illness and state of hydration of the patient.