A study looked at 219 newborns born with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome at a hospital in China. Doctors grouped these babies based on their blood sugar levels when admitted: low, normal, or high. They compared how sick the babies got and how long they needed medical help.
The results showed that babies with high blood sugar had a significantly higher chance of developing severe breathing problems compared to those with normal levels. This group also required longer periods of mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy. Additionally, their blood lactate levels were higher, which can signal stress on the body.
Because this was a retrospective study looking back at past records, it shows a link between high blood sugar and worse outcomes but does not prove that high sugar caused the breathing trouble. The findings are specific to this hospital and time period, so they may not apply to all settings. Readers should understand this is an association, not a proven cause-and-effect relationship.