48 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The purpose of this study is to determine if buccal administration of a concentrated formulation of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) can help to maintain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants.
We hypothesize that premature infants who receive their mothers' expressed breast milk supplemented with liquid protein early in their hospitalization will have a growth velocity in the first 28 days of life that is 20% greater than the growth velocity of premature infants that do not receive protein fortification.
This pilot study was designed to determine the feasibility of randomizing extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants \<28 weeks' gestation who required resuscitation to one of two resuscitation methods, either: (a) 100% oxygen by facemask and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or positive pressure ventilation (PPV) with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), if the infant required PPV (the intervention group); or (b) 100% oxygen and no CPAP and no PEEP if the infant required PPV (the control group).
This study examined the effect of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) exposure on adverse outcome in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. For infants included in the NICHD Neonatal Research Network Generic Database whose mothers were given prenatal MgSO4, data were prospectively collected on maternal/infant conditions and magnesium exposure (including indications, timing and duration of exposure).
This multi-site, randomized trial was conducted to determine the safety and effectiveness of a higher dose of vitamin A and determine if this would increase the rate of survival without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and reduce the risk of sepsis. Infants with birth weights from 401-1000g and who were on mechanical ventilation or supplemental oxygen at 24-96 hours of age were enrolled. Subjects were randomized to either the Vitamin A or a control group. Infants in the Vitamin A group were given a dose of 5000 IU (0.1 ml) intramuscularly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for four weeks. Control infants received a sham procedure rather than placebo injections.
The overall purpose of this research is to test whether adding a supplement to the feeding of extremely low birth weight infant (infants weighing less than 2 pound 2 oz at birth) will help him/her achieve full feeding faster and achieve better weight gain.
Milking the umbilical cord from the placental end toward the infant has been shown to benefit preterm infants when compared to either clamping the umbilical cord immediately or waiting delaying the clamping of the cord. Delaying cord clamping for 30-120 seconds has been shown to improve heart and lung function, reduces the need for blood transfusion, and reduces the risk for brain bleeding seen in some preterm infants. Delaying the clamping of the umbilical cord, however in extremely premature infants is not considered safe, since it also delays the resuscitation that these infants need immediately after birth. Milking the umbilical cord is believed have similar benefits to delaying the clamping of the cord, but can be done much faster (seconds rather than minutes). In this study, the cord will milked three times over about 10-20 seconds and the infant will be passed to the awaiting newborn medical team for routine care. Participants of this study will be randomly assigned to one of two study groups: the first group will have the cord milking intervention and the second group will not have any intervention other than routine, immediate cord clamping with routine care of mother and infant. Data will be collected about the mother prior to delivery and data will also be collected about the baby using computerized health records. The data will look at short term changes in red blood cell volumes, the need for blood transfusions, and rates of known complications of prematurity, including longer term developmental complications at 18-24 months. The hypothesis is that milking the umbilical cord before cutting the cord will lead to a higher hemoglobin concentration and decrease the need for blood transfusions in extremely preterm neonates compared to the current standard of immediately clamping the umbilical cord.
While new innovations in the care of extremely premature infants have led to decreased morbidity and mortality, poor postnatal growth remains as a major challenge. Early growth in the postnatal period influences neurodevelopmental and growth outcomes. This proposed study will challenge current nutritional regimens for infants \< 1000 g birth weight (BW) by providing an exclusive human milk based diet with a higher amount of protein based on individual caloric and protein analysis of human milk utilizing targeted fortification. The investigators will evaluate the effects of a high versus standard protein enteral diet on growth and body composition in infants \< 1000 g BW. There are no published studies evaluating the effect of an exclusive human milk protein diet on body composition in premature infants. Research has shown that infants who receive this diet achieve growth at targeted standards but body composition has not been evaluated. As an all human milk diet is well tolerated and associated with improved outcomes in the highest risk neonates, it is imperative to evaluate the benefits of a high protein exclusive human milk diet and the possible positive changes in body composition, specifically lean mass, in these infants. Results from this proposed study will immediately influence current nutritional practices and will provide landmark information regarding targeted fortification with provision of adequate protein providing the most optimal body composition in the most fragile and vulnerable infants.
Extremely low birth weight infants have significant water loss through their skin immediately after birth. This significant fluid loss is because they have large amounts of fluids, have immature skin and large surface area. Loss of fluids is associated with many complications. The investigators hypothesize that application of sterile water to the skin of these infants is associated with decreased fluid requirements in the first week of life , improve skin integrity and decrease some complications of prematurity.
This large multicenter double-masked clinical trial tested whether supplementation of standard neonatal parenteral nutrition with glutamine would reduce the risk of death or late-onset sepsis in extremely-low-birth-weight (ELBW, less than or equal to 1000 gm) infants. Neonates with birth weights of 401-1000gm were randomized to standard TrophAmine or TrophAmine supplemented with glutamine before 72 hours and continued until the infants are tolerating full enteral feedings.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether treatment of very preterm infants at high-risk for lung and brain injury with low dose hydrocortisone results in improved pulmonary and neurologic outcomes.
The objective of the TOP trial is to determine whether higher hemoglobin thresholds for transfusing ELBW infants resulting in higher hemoglobin levels lead to improvement in the primary outcome of survival and rates of neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) at 22-26 months of age, using standardized assessments by Bayley.
This trial tests the feasibility of enrolling 60 extremely preterm infants in a randomized, double-blinded study of blood pressure management within 12 months. Eligible infants will receive an infusion drug (dopamine or a dextrose placebo) and a syringe drug (hydrocortisone or a normal saline placebo). Enrolled infants will be randomized to receive one of the following drug pairs: * dopamine and hydrocortisone * dopamine and normal saline * dextrose and hydrocortisone * dextrose and normal saline. In addition to the intervention above, the NRN is conducting a 6-month time-limited prospective observational study of all infants born at an NRN center between 23 and 26 weeks gestational age. All clinical decisions made for these babies will be at the discretion of the attending neonatologist/infant care team according to standard practice at each institution. Data on blood pressure management in the first 24 postnatal hours collected for each infant.
This multicenter clinical trial tested whether minimal ventilation decreases death or BPD. Infants with birth weight 501g to 1000g and mechanically ventilated before 12 hours were randomly assigned to minimal ventilation (partial pressure of carbon dioxide \[PCO(2)\] target \>52 mm Hg) or routine ventilation (PCO(2) target \<48 mm Hg) and a tapered dexamethasone course or saline placebo for 10 days, using a 2 x 2 factorial design. The primary outcome was death or BPD at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age. Blood gases, ventilator settings, and FiO2 were recorded for 10 days; complications and outcomes were monitored to discharge. The infants' neurodevelopment was evaluated at 18-22 months corrected age.
Study focuses on determining if daily versus every-other-day (EOD) oral iron at the same dose per kilogram per day will achieve similar incidence of iron replete status at 36 weeks post-menstrual age in premature neonates
We are attempting to improve the cerebral monitoring of extremely low gestational age (ELGA) infants, such that in the future, real-time monitoring will be possible, to aid clinicians in their management of these infants. We wish to establish a new NIRS device, diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS), as a safe, noninvasive and informative bedside tool for assessing and monitoring brain health in ELGA infants during the first few days of life. It is hoped that this method will provide detailed information on changes in oxygen consumption and metabolism, and cerebral perfusion. This technique will have wide applicability, but for this research study we wish to focus on the effect of blood flow instabilities, intermittent hypotension and hypoxic episodes, pressure passive CBF periods, and hypoperfusion on the preterm brain during the first days of life, and their relationship with incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). We aim to recruit 100 premature infants to obtain data to: 1. Test the feasibility of NIRS-DCS to monitor cerebral activity, perfusion and oxygen consumption in extremely premature infants during the first week of life. 2. To assess if these baseline values are impacted by intermittent hypoxic episodes. 3. To assess if cerebral blood flow disturbances correlate with incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage. 4. Correlate the NIRS-DCS findings with clinical outcome at hospital discharge.
Extremely low birth weight (ELBW), birth weight less than or equal to 1000 g, infants are at high risk for developing brain injury in the first week of life. Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) are the most common injuries in this group of infants. Their incidence is inversely proportional to gestational age (GA) and birth weight (BW). These lesions are associated with neurodevelopmental delay, poor cognitive performance, visual and hearing impairment, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy; and instability of systemic hemodynamics during transition from intra- to extra-uterine life and during the early neonatal period is believed to be at their genesis. While the incidence of ultrasound- diagnosed cystic PVL has decreased dramatically over the last 2 decades, diffuse PVL detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is still prevalent in survivors of neonatal intensive care. Moreover, PVL, even when non-cystic, is associated with decreased cortical complexity and brain volume and eventual neurocognitive impairment. Currently, clinicians lack the tools to detect changes in cerebral perfusion prior to irreversible injury. Unfortunately, the incidence of brain injury in ELBW infants has remained relatively stable. Once translated to the bedside, the goal of this research is to develop a monitoring system that will allow researchers to identify infants most at risk for IVH and PVL and in the future, intervention studies will be initiated to use the changes in cerebral perfusion to direct hemodynamic management. The purpose of this study is to first understand the physiology of brain injury and then to eventually impact the outcomes in this high-risk group of infants by assessing the ability of the diastolic closing margin (DCM), a non-invasive estimate of brain perfusion pressure, to predict hemorrhagic and ischemic brain injury in ELBW infants. The information collected for this study will help develop algorithms or monitoring plans that will maintain the appropriate brain perfusion pressure and thereby, prevent severe brain injury.
Cycled (intermittent) phototherapy will be compared to continuous (uninterrupted) phototherapy in the treatment of hyperbilirubinemia (newborn jaundice) in extremely low birth weight newborns in a pilot randomized controlled trial. Hypothesis: Cycled phototherapy (PT) will provide the same benefits as continuous phototherapy in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants without the risks that have been associated with continuous phototherapy.
This study tested the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial to vary the timing that doctors clamp the umbilical cord after birth in extremely low birthweight infants. The study also tested whether delaying cord clamping by 30-35 seconds and holding the newborn approximately 10 inches below the birth canal would result in increased hematocrit at 4 hours of age.
This study tested the safety and efficacy of transfusing erythropoietin (Epo) and iron in infants of \<1,250g birth weight. For infants 401-1,000g birth weight, we tested whether early erythropoietin (Epo) and iron therapy would decrease the number of transfusions received. For infants 1,001-1,250g birth weight, we tested whether early erythropoietin (Epo) and iron therapy would decrease the percentage of infants who received any transfusions.
The purpose of this pilot trial is to test the safety and efficacy of administering one dose of vitamin E, via a tube into the stomach, to extremely preterm infants (less than 27 weeks gestation and less than 1000 grams birth weight). This pilot will examine whether a single dose of vitamin E will be absorbed into the infants' bloodstreams with resulting serum α-tocopherol level in the target range of 1-3 mg/dl.
This pilot study is a randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial to measure changes in blood and urine levels of inositol in premature infants at high risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) following repeated doses of inositol. Based on previous studies, the premise is that maintaining inositol concentrations similar to those occurring naturally in utero will reduce the rates of ROP and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants. The objective is to evaluate pharmacokinetics, safety, and clinical outcomes of multiple doses of three different dose amounts of myo-inositol (provided by Abbott Laboratories) in very low birth weight premature infants. This study will enroll an estimated 96 infants at 17 NICHD Neonatal Research Network sites. Infants will be randomly assigned to receive either 10 mg/kg of 5% inositol, 40 mg/kg of 5% inositol, 80 mg/kg of 5% inositol, or 5% glucose given in the same volumes and timings as the inositol dosage to maintain masking. Enrollees will receive their assigned dose or placebo daily, starting within 72 hours of birth, and continuing until they reach 34 weeks post-menstrual age, 10 weeks chronologic age, or until the time of hospital discharge, whichever occurs first. The study drug will be administered first intravenously; as the infants progress to full feeding, the drug will be given enterally (orally or via feeding tube). Enrollees will be seen for a follow-up examination at 18-22 months corrected age. This pilot study is in preparation for a future Phase III multi-center randomized controlled trial.
This study will compare the effectiveness of two surgical procedures -laparotomy versus drainage - commonly used to treat necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or isolated intestinal perforations (IP) in extremely low birth weight infants (≤1,000 g). Infants diagnosed with NEC or IP requiring surgical intervention, will be recruited. Subjects will be randomized to receive either a laparotomy or peritoneal drainage. Primary outcome is impairment-free survival at 18-22 months corrected age.
This observational study tests the feasibility of enrolling subjects and obtaining an amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) within the first 72 hours of life, a second aEEG recording between 72-168 hours of life, and weekly thereafter up to 36 weeks post-menstrual age. It will enroll 85-100 infants between 401-1,000 grams birth weight OR between 23 0/7 and 28 6/7 weeks gestational age born at the 7 participating NICHD Neonatal Research Network sites.
This pilot study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial to measure changes in blood and urine levels of inositol in premature infants at high risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) following a single intravenous dose of inositol. Based on previous studies, the premise is that maintaining inositol concentrations similar to those occurring naturally in utero will reduce the rates of ROP and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants. The objective was to evaluate the single-dose pharmacokinetics and safety of different amounts of intravenous myo-inositol (provided by Ross Products Division, Abbott Laboratories) in very low birth weight neonates, in preparation for a future Phase III multi-center randomized controlled trial. This study enrolled 74 infants at high risk for retinopathy at 9 NICHD Neonatal Research Network sites, and randomly assigned them to receive either 60mg/kg of 5% inositol, 120 mg/kg of 5% inositol, 60 mg/kg of 5% glucose (the placebo), or 120 mg/kg of 5% glucose.
Premature infants are at a high risk for pneumonia. The PCV-7 vaccine effectively prevents the invasive disease from Streptococcus pneumoniae in full-term infants, but was not thoroughly studied in premature infants. This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine given in routine practice to very low birth weight infants, looking at blood antibody levels 4-6 weeks after the final vaccine dose, and adverse events, survival, infections, and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18-22 months corrected age.
This multi-center, randomized clinical trial compared different bilirubin levels as thresholds for timing of phototherapy in extremely low birth weight infants. The primary hypothesis was that there would be no difference in death or neurodevelopmental impairment at 18-22 months corrected age in infants treated by either aggressive or conservative threshold limits. 1,978 infants were enrolled.
This observational study evaluated the performance of new lab tests in detecting candida species fungal infections in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants quickly and accurately. 19 NICHD Neonatal Research Network sites enrolled 1,500 infants with birth weights ≤1,000g; 100 of these infants later tested positive for candidiasis. Blood, urine, and lumbar puncture samples were collected whenever other specimens were obtained from participants for cultures. These samples are being tested using the new methods and compared with standard culture results. Surviving study subjects completed a neurodevelopmental evaluation at 18-22 months corrected age.
The Generic Database (GDB) is a registry of very low birth weight infants born alive in NICHD Neonatal Research Network (NRN) centers. The GDB collects observational baseline data on both mothers and infants, and the therapies used and outcomes of the infants. The information collected is not specific to a disease or treatment (i.e., it is "generic"). Data are analyzed to find associations and trends between baseline information, treatments, and infant outcome, and to develop future NRN trials.
This multicenter trial tested whether inhaled nitric oxide would reduce death or the need for oxygen in preterm infants (less than 34 weeks gestational age) with severe lung disease.