[On the syndrome of childhood-hypoglycemia. I. Definition of hypoglycemia in different age-groups and problems of neonatal hypoglycemia (author's transl)].

Hypoglycemia was diagnosed in 118 patients admitted to the University Children's Hospital Basel over 13 years, altogether 137 times. A definition of infantile and childhood hypoglycemia is discussed. Hypoglycemia was accepted as the correct diagnosis in 72 cases (group I), where 2 or more blood sugar values or at least one blood sugar value and one glucose value in the cerebrospinal fluid were below the limit for the age-group. In 46 cases only one abnormal blood sugar value vas documented (group II). In 19 cases no value was found to be definitely below the normal range. 58 patients were newborns up to 10 days of age. 34 patients (43 hospital admissions) were children in the agegroup after the newborn period. 65% of the newborns in group I and 58% of them in group II showed clinical symptoms concomitant with hypoglycemia. Convulsions (62%) were the most frequent feature. In more of the 76 patients was hypoglycemia documented as an isolated symptom. 75% of newborns were premature and/or of low birth weight. 50% had hypoglycemia and 20% verified central nervous system disease. 4 patients (5%) died in the hospital for reasons other than hypoglycemia. 15% (11 patients) had definite neurological symptoms when discharged from hospital. 30 of the 72 surviving neonates could be reexamined at a mean age of 26,5 months. 18% (13 patients) showed evidence of neurological disorders. 4 patients were readmitted with hypoglycemia at a later age, 3 were diagnosed as idiopathic and one as a ketotic hypoglycemia. One child developed diabetes mellitus at the age of 8 years.