Blood glucose concentrations in critically ill neonatal foals.
Authors: Hollis A R, Furr M O, Magdesian K G, Axon J E, Ludlow V, Boston R C, Corley K T T
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Blood Glucose Dysregulation as a Marker and Potential Target in Critically Ill Neonatal Foals Researchers examined blood glucose concentrations in 515 critically ill neonatal foals at admission and at multiple timepoints over the first 60 hours of hospitalisation, using logistic regression to determine associations between glucose readings and survival outcomes, sepsis status, and systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Only just over one-quarter of foals presented with normal blood glucose (76–131 mg/dL), while approximately one-third were hyperglycaemic and one-third hypoglycaemic—highlighting how profoundly critical illness disrupts glucose homeostasis in this population. Foals that did not survive demonstrated significantly lower mean glucose at admission alongside greater glucose variability within the first 24 hours; critically, admission glucose concentrations below 2.8 mmol/L or above 10 mmol/L were independently associated with nonsurvival, and hypoglycaemia at presentation correlated strongly with sepsis and positive blood cultures. These findings suggest that glucose derangements in critically ill foals may reflect underlying disease severity and septic burden, and warrant investigation into whether targeted glucose management protocols could improve survival rates—a potentially actionable intervention for veterinary teams managing neonatal foals in intensive care settings.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Monitor blood glucose concentrations closely in critically ill neonatal foals at admission and throughout the first 36-60 hours, as abnormal values (especially <50 or >180 mg/dL) are associated with worse outcomes
- •Be alert that hypoglycemia in a critically ill foal is a red flag for sepsis, positive blood culture, or SIRS—investigate for systemic infection
- •Glucose management protocols may improve survival in critically ill foals and warrant clinical investigation and potential implementation in critical care protocols
Key Findings
- •Only 29.1% of critically ill foals had normal blood glucose at admission; 36.5% were hyperglycemic and 34.4% were hypoglycemic
- •Non-surviving foals had lower mean admission glucose but higher maximum and lower minimum glucose in the first 24 hours, with higher glucose at 24 and 36 hours
- •Blood glucose <50 mg/dL or >180 mg/dL at admission were associated with reduced survival likelihood
- •Hypoglycemia at admission was significantly associated with sepsis, positive blood cultures, and SIRS