Benjamin J Blaise introduces a new study which is using POCT technology to address an underrecognised risk in paediatric anaesthesia.
Preoperative fasting is an essential component of safe anaesthetic practice, reducing the risk of pulmonary aspiration during general anaesthesia. However, while fasting protocols are well established, less attention has traditionally been paid to their metabolic consequences, particularly in children.1
Children have limited glycogen reserves and higher metabolic demands compared with adults, making them more vulnerable to fasting-induced hypoglycaemia and ketosis.2
Despite this physiological reality, perioperative glucose monitoring is not routinely performed in many healthcare settings, and metabolic disturbances may go undetected during anaesthesia.
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