Background. The study aimed to examine the effect of early hyperglycemia on the morbidity/mortality of very low birth weight premature infants. Methods. This retrospective study included all premature infants with gestational age ≤32 gestational weeks, hospitalized at the Department of Intensive Neonatal Care, Clinical Center Kragujevac, during the period 2017-2019. Hyperglycemia was defined as glycemia of ≥12 mmol/l in one measurement, or >10 mmol/l in two measurements, at repeated intervals of 2-4 hours. Glycemia was determined from capillary blood, using a gas analyzer of Gem Premier 3000, during the first 7 days of life. Continuous intravenous insulin infusion was administered after ineffective glucose restriction at glycemic values of >14 mmol/l. Results. Patients with normoglycemia (41/72 (56.94%)) and hyperglycemia (31/72 (43.06%)) did not differ in gender, gestational age, mode of delivery and antenatal administration of steroids, while birth weight had a tendency to be lower in the hyperglycemic group (p=0.052). Hyperglycemia was significantly associated with a low APGAR score at the fifth minute (p=0.048), necrotizing enterocolitis (p=0.011), and shorter duration of mechanical ventilation (p=0.006). Hyperglycemia was associated with significantly more frequent fatal outcomes (35.5%) when compared with the normoglycemic group (4.9%). Accordingly, these patients required inotropic (r=0.036) and insulin therapy (r
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