Nursing care for premature infants with transient tachycardia and hypoglycemia : 2 case studies.

Abstract

      This study was a comparative case study of two preterm infants with hypothermia and hypoglycemia admitted to the Neonatal Unit at Kalasin Hospital during March 2025. The objective was to compare clinical characteristics, treatment, nursing outcomes, and nursing care based on Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns in preterm infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus.

      The results showed that Case 1 was a male preterm infant at 36⁺² weeks of gestation with a birth weight of 4,130 grams, born to a 31-year-old mother with gestational diabetes mellitus treated with insulin. The infant developed hypoglycemia within 15 minutes after birth, with a blood glucose level of 42 mg/dL, accompanied by hypothermia and respiratory distress. Treatment included intravenous fluids, calcium gluconate, heated humidified high-flow nasal cannula (HHHFNC) oxygen therapy, and phototherapy for neonatal jaundice. The infant responded well to treatment, achieved stable blood glucose and respiratory status, and was discharged on March 13, 2025.

      Case 2 was a female preterm infant at 36⁺¹ weeks of gestation with a birth weight of 3,515 grams, born to a 37-year-old mother with a history of previous cesarean section and gestational diabetes mellitus. The infant experienced severe hypoglycemia, with blood glucose decreasing to 18 mg/dL after admission, together with hypothermia and transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN). Management required high-concentration intravenous dextrose administration through an umbilical venous catheter (UVC), HHHFNC oxygen therapy, and phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia. The infant showed clinical improvement without major complications and was discharged on March 19, 2025.