In this population-based cohort of EPT infants, hyperglycemia on the first day of life was associated with increased mortality rates and brain damage, as reflected by WM reduction at term age.

No abstract

In this prospective cohort study of healthy full-term infants, we hypothesized that high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) would be elevated in cord blood, compared with adult reference values, and that it would further increase over the first days of age. Cardiac troponin T has been shown to be significantly increased in healthy full-term newborns compared with adult reference values, but there is no established reference range. Most studies of cTnT in newborns have been performed before the introduction of high-sensitivity cTnT (hs-cTnT) assay. We conducted a study including 158 full-term newborns, at Stockholm South General Hospital. High-sensitivity cTnT was analyzed in umbilical cord blood and at 2–5 days of age. Median hs-cTnT (interquartile range) in cord blood was 34(26–44) ng/L; 99th percentile 88 ng/L. Median hs-cTnT at 2–5 days of age was 92(54–158) ng/L; 99th percentile 664 ng/L. We conclude that hs-cTnT is elevated in cord blood in healthy, full-term newborn infants compared with adult reference values, and that it increases significantly during the first days of life. Our findings further underline the need of caution when using hs-cTnT as a measurement of cardiac impact in newborns.