Relationship between preoperative fasting hours and capillary blood glucose in pediatric patients.

Abstract

Introduction: Poor management of fasting periods in the perioperative period can be associated with deleterious effects. Prolonged fasting may predispose pediatric patients to hypoglycemia. Objective: Determine the relationship between fasting hours and preoperative capillary glycemia in pediatric patients. Methodology: Double-blind clinical trial in pediatric patients in which the time of the patients' last food intake and capillary blood glucose in the immediate preoperative period were recorded. Results: The fasting period on solids on average was 12.6±3.55 hours, the fasting on liquids on average was 12.03±3.24 hours. The average blood glucose was 94.26±16.52 mg/dl; of which 6.45% (4 patients) presented pre-surgical hypoglycemia and 93.55% (58 patients) were normoglycemic. 69.3% (n=43) of patients had a prolonged fast (≥12 hours) to solids. Conclusion: Patients experienced prolonged fasting hours for both solid and liquid foods. Most patients maintained normal glucose levels in the preoperative period.