Characteristics of intention-to-treat population
| Variable | Dextrose (n=84) n (%)* | Placebo (n=85) n (%)* |
| Maternal | ||
| Antenatal steroids† | ||
| Complete | 67 (80) | 64 (75) |
| Incomplete | 16 (19) | 20 (24) |
| None | 1 (1) | 1 (1) |
| Magnesium sulfate | 73 (87) | 79 (93) |
| Chorioamnionitis | 8 (10) | 8 (9) |
| PET/hypertension | 17 (20) | 17 (20) |
| Diabetes | ||
| Pre-pregnancy | 2 (2) | 2 (2) |
| Gestational | 7 (8) | 10 (12) |
| None | 75 (90) | 73 (86) |
| On medication potentially impacting neonatal glycaemia‡ | 20 (24) | 20 (23) |
| Race/ethnicity | ||
| White | 75 (90) | 72 (85) |
| African | 2 (2) | 4 (5) |
| Asian | 6 (7) | 6 (7) |
| Hispanic | 1 (1) | 3 (3) |
| Mode of delivery | ||
| Caesarean section | 67 (80) | 64 (75) |
| Vaginal | 17 (20) | 21 (25) |
| Neonatal | ||
| Female sex | 41 (49) | 42 (49) |
| Infant of multiple pregnancy | 29 (35) | 24 (28) |
| Gestational cohort | ||
| 29+1 to 32+0 | 45 (54) | 48 (56) |
| ≤29+0 | 39 (46) | 37 (44) |
| Birth weight (g)—mean (SD) | ||
| 29+1 to 32+0 | 1399 (308) | 1473 (387) |
| ≤29+0 | 898 (273) | 895 (310) |
| Apgar score—median (IQR)§ | ||
| 1 min | 7 (4) | 7 (3) |
| 5 min | 9 (1) | 9 (1) |
| Arterial cord pH (mmol/L)—mean (SD)¶ | 7.30 (0.09) | 7.29 (0.10) |
| Age at admission temperature (min)—median (IQR) | 24 (11) | 24 (15) |
| Admission temperature (Celsius)—mean (SD) | 36.9 (0.58) | 36.9 (0.55) |
| Intervention related | ||
| Age at gel (min)—mean (SD)** | 14.0 (7) | 12.7 (7) |
| Gel spill** | ||
| None | 38 (46) | 51 (60) |
| Small | 37 (45) | 29 (34) |
| Medium | 7 (8) | 5 (6) |
| Large | 1 (1) | 0 (0) |
| Age at primary outcome (min)—median (IQR) | 54 (29) | 52 (28) |
| Primary outcome measurement method | ||
| Amperometric | 73 (87) | 78 (92) |
| Photometric | 11 (13) | 7 (8) |
*Unless otherwise stated.
†Vermont Oxford Network definition of variables (unless otherwise indicated).
‡Mothers receiving (within 48 hours of delivery) medications that have known potential to impact neonatal glycaemic control (insulin, oral hypoglycaemic agents, beta-blockers, indomethacin, calcium channel blockers).
§84 in the placebo group and 83 in the dextrose group.
¶62 in the placebo group and 58 in the dextrose group.
**85 in the placebo group and 83 in the dextrose group.
PET, pre-eclampsia toxaemia.