Glucose Infusion
Glucose Infusion
Glucose Infusion
The formula for preparing 100 mL of fluid with a desired concentration of glucose
using 5% dextrose and 25% dextrose solutions is given by the formula 5X-25 = Y
where X is the required percentage of dextrose and Y is the amount of 25%
dextrose (in mL) to be made up with 5% dextrose to make a total of 100 mL.
For example, to prepare 100ml of 10% dextrose from 5% dextrose and 25%
dextrose, add 5x10-25=25ml of 25% dextrose to the remaining volume, i.e. 100-
25 =75 ml of 5% dextrose.
Decide desired fluid intake of the neonate in mL/kg/day (24 hrs) Convert this to
mL/kg/min by dividing the figure by 1440
If 10% dextrose is being used, multiply the figure obtained in (b) above by 100 to
find out the Glucose Infusion Rate (GIR) in mg/kg/min.
(Since 10% Dextrose has 100 mg/mL of dextrose. Similarly, 5% dextrose has 50
mg/mL; 7.5% dextrose has 75mg/mL of dextrose and so on)
(d) Based on desired fluid intake and desired GIR, the concentration of dextrose
in the IV infusate can be decided.
(e) Example
Method 2 for fluid rate and GIR (Using 10% dextrose only)24
Step1
(a) Add 2 mL/kg of 25% dextrose to the volume of fluid to be infused over 8
hrs –see explanation below:
[i] 25% Dextrose has 250 mg/mL of dextrose; 2 mL/kg has 500 mg/kg
[iii] 2 mL/kg of 25% dextrose over 8 hrs will increase the GIR by 5 00/480
or roughly 1 mg/kg/min
(b) Example
There are two main methods of describing concentrations: by weight, and by molecular
count. Weights are in grams, molecular counts in moles.
Glucose infusion needs to be calculated while giving feeding and can be done by the
same formula Glucose infusion rate while on feeding (mg/kg/min) =
[IV rate (ml/hr) x Dextrose conc (g/dl) x .0167 / wt (kg)] + [Feed rate (ml/hr) x Dextrose
conc* (g/dl) x .0167 / wt (kg)]
Amount of dextrose in milk : Breast milk = 7.1 gm/dL, Term formula = 7. 1gm/dL,
Preterm formula = 8.5 gm/dL
Figure 2: Calculating glucose concentration to be used based on amount of fluid
and GIR
Figure 3 Calculation of GIR of baby on fluids and feeds (assuming breast milk or term
formula)