The Evidence Informing Hypoglycaemia Treatment Thresholds in Asymptomatic, Term, Well Newborns: A Review of Literature and Critical Appraisal of Methodological Challenges.

The review was not registered before it began, and the studies were too different to combine in a meta-analysis. The included studies used different glucose testing methods and different testing times, including older or unspecified methods, so the results are hard to compare. Many studies had small samples or risk of bias; two studies with very high risk of bias were excluded. The neurodevelopmental assessments were done at 18 months, 2 years, or 4 years, and the authors noted these may not predict later function. The studies did not fully account for other causes of neurodevelopmental differences, such as prematurity or later health events. Only English-language papers were included, so relevant research in other languages may be missing. The included populations came from several countries and many had small samples, so the results may not apply to every newborn group.

The authors reported no financial support and no potential conflicts of interest.

Do not read this review as proof that treating at 2.6 mmol/L causes harm or that 2.0 mmol/L is safe. The included studies had inconsistent testing methods, poor quality, and small samples, so they do not establish a new threshold.