51 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Many extremely premature infants, born before 28 weeks' gestation age, require immediate help with breathing after birth. Positive pressure ventilation (PPV) using a device called a T-piece resuscitator is a common method. PPV is needed to establish proper lung function, improve gas exchange, and encourage the infant to breathe spontaneously. However, T-piece resuscitators have limitations, like a lack of visual feedback and variable settings, which may result in reduced effectiveness of PPV. Improving PPV effectiveness may reduce the need for more invasive procedures, such as intubation, which pose an increased risk of complications and death for these fragile infants. A novel approach, that may overcome the above limitations and deliver PPV with precise settings through a nasal mask, is to use a ventilator to deliver PPV (V-PPV) using a respiratory mode called nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV). While NIPPV is commonly used in neonatal intensive care units to support breathing in premature infants, the impact of V-PPV use during immediate post-birth stabilization needs to be studied. Preliminary data from our recent single-center study confirmed the feasibility of using V-PPV for resuscitation of extremely premature babies and indicated its potential superiority with a 28% decrease in the need for intubation compared to historical use of T-piece. This promising innovation may enhance outcomes for these vulnerable infants by refining the way we provide respiratory support in their critical first moments. The research objective is to compare the clinical outcomes of extremely premature infants receiving manual T-piece versus V-PPV during immediate post-birth stabilization. The primary aim is to evaluate the impact of V-PPV on major health complications or death. This study seeks to provide insights into improving the care and outcomes of these infants during a critical stage of transition from fetus to newborn.
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the effects of Neonatal Touch and Massage Therapy on premature babies. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Do babies who receive Neonatal Touch and Massage Therapy get discharged sooner from the NICU * Does Neonatal Touch and Massage Therapy have a beneficial effect on weight gain, pain and stress responses, and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Participants assigned to the treatment group will receive Neonatal Touch and Massage Therapy while admitted to the NICU. Researchers will compare their outcomes to a control group, receiving standard NICU care, to see if there are any differences in the length of hospital stay, weight gain, pain scores, neurodevelopmental outcomes, and incidence of other common conditions associated with prematurity.
Background: Non-invasive forms of respiratory support have been developed to manage respiratory distress and failure in premature newborns without exposing them to the risks associated with invasive mechanical ventilation. It has been difficult to synchronize non-invasive ventilation due to the large air leaks, high respiratory rates, and small tidal volumes inherent to this interface and population. Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA) is a novel mode of ventilation that uses a functional naso/orogastric tube with embedded electrodes which detect diaphragmatic contractions (called the Edi signal). NAVA uses this Edi signal to synchronize ventilator support to the patient's own respiratory efforts and to support these efforts as needed. Few studies have examined the use of NAVA with non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in preterm neonates. A group at Arkansas Children's Hospital recently completed a study, looking at work of breathing in an animal model comparing NIV NAVA with the unsynchronized nasal intermittent positive pressure (NIPPV) mode currently used at this hospital. They were able to show that work of breathing was lower with NAVA in this model. This study will take what was shown in the animal model and translate this to the bedside. Using respiratory inductance plethysmography to measure thoracoabdominal asynchrony, this study will compare work of breathing during NIPPV versus NIV NAVA in preterm neonates with respiratory insufficiency. Hypothesis: Work of breathing as estimated by the phase angle (θ) using respiratory inductance plethysmography will be decreased with the use of NIV NAVA in comparison to unsynchronized NIPPV in premature neonates with respiratory insufficiency. Methods: Fifteen premature neonates of between 1-2 kilograms' current weight, with gestational age at birth between 24-34 weeks, and receiving non-invasive ventilation will be enrolled in the study after consent is obtained. The infants will be ventilated using NIV NAVA and NIPPV applied in random order for 15 minutes each while using respiratory inductance plethysmography to measure thoracoabdominal asynchrony as an estimate of work of breathing. Significance: This study will identify whether or not NIV NAVA has advantages over NIPPV for improving work of breathing in premature neonates.
The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of lucinactant for inhalation administered as an aerosolized dose in two doses to preterm neonates 26 - 32 weeks gestational age who are receiving nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) for Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) compared to neonates receiving nCPAP alone.
A. Specific Aims Premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) require up to several hundred procedures during their hospitalization. Many of these are tissue-damaging procedures (TDPs) known to cause pain \[1\]. Through funding from NINR, the investigators found that TDPs not only caused pain but also increased markers of ATP degradation and oxidative stress\[2\[. The TDP was tape removal, a commonly performed procedure in the NICU2. Based on this finding, the investigators sought to determine if interventions that relieve pain also reduce biochemical markers of ATP degradation and oxidative stress. The investigators first examined the effect of oral sucrose, a commonly used intervention, when given before a heel lance. The investigators chose heel lance because it is the most predominant painful procedure in the NICU, as shown in 29 different clinical trials\[3\]. The investigators hypothesized that since oral sucrose is documented to significantly reduce pain scores, then administration of this analgesic will also decrease markers of ATP degradation and oxidative stress. However,the investigators observed the opposite effect. Although a single dose of oral sucrose reduced behavioral markers of pain, it significantly increased biochemical markers of ATP degradation (hypoxanthine, uric acid) and oxidative stress (allantoin) over time\[4\]. More importantly, the effect of oral sucrose on breakdown markers of ATP were enhanced and were significantly higher in neonates that were intubated or were receiving more than 30% FiO25. These findings lead to the question: If oral sucrose does not effectively reduce the biochemical effects of procedural pain, what intervention or groups of intervention will decrease both behavioral markers of procedural pain and reduce ATP utilization and oxidative stress in premature neonates? For this RO1 renewal, the investigators propose to test the individual and additive effects of two commonly used interventions for procedural pain. These interventions are (a) administration of 30% oral glucose and non-nutritive sucking (NNS) (b) facilitated tucking and NNS c) administration of 30% oral glucose, facilitated tucking and NNS. Administration of 30% oral glucose was documented to decreased procedural pain scores\[6-9\] without the potential adverse effects of fructose, a key ingredient of sucrose\[10-11\]. Facilitated tucking is the gentle positioning of preterm infants with arms and legs in a flexed, midline position close to the body, while either in a side-lying or prone position\[12\]. Because tachycardia often accompanies pain, a documented benefit of facilitated tucking is stabilization of heart rate and reduction of motor activity (flailing)\[12-13\]. Non-nutritive sucking refers to the provision of a weight-appropriate pacifier\[14\]. The painful procedure will be a clinically required heel lance, which refers to the puncture of a newborn's heel for blood glucose using a specially designed lancet. Our general hypothesis is that commonly used clinical interventions known to reduce procedural pain alter biochemical markers of ATP degradation, oxidative stress and cell injury. Specific Aim 1 will determine whether (a) 30% oral glucose and NNS or (b) facilitated tucking and NNS or (c) 30% oral glucose with facilitated tucking and NNS will decrease procedural pain. • Pain will be quantified using a validated pain scoring tool, the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP). Individual and additive effect of interventions will be determined. Specific Aim 2 will determine whether (a) 30% oral glucose and NNS or (b) facilitated tucking and NNS or (c) 30% oral glucose with facilitated tucking and NNS will decrease biochemical markers of ATP degradation, oxidative stress and oxidative cell injury. * Products of ATP breakdown in plasma-hypoxanthine (Hx), xanthine (Xa), and uric acid (UA)-will be measured using high performance liquid chromatography. * Oxidative stress will be quantified by measuring plasma levels of allantoin using mass spectrometry. * Cell injury will be quantified by measuring plasma levels of F2 isoprostane using liquid-chromatography/mass spectrometry.
The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of aerosolized surfactant, specifically lucinactant for inhalation, administered in escalating inhaled doses to preterm neonates 29 to 34 weeks gestational age who are receiving nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), compared to neonates receiving nCPAP alone.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) is a multi-factorial disease process that is the end result of an immature, surfactant deficient lung that has been exposed to hyperoxia, mechanical ventilation and infection. These conditions initiate an inflammatory response characterized by elevated inflammatory cell infiltrates and proinflammatory cytokines that lead to the development of significant acute and chronic lung injury. The study drug, rhCC10, is a recombinant version of natural human CC10 protein. Native CC10 is produced primarily by non-ciliated respiratory epithelial cells, called Clara cells and is the most abundant protein in the mucosal fluids in normal healthy lungs. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety, tolerability and anti-inflammatory effects of a single intratracheal (IT) dose of rhCC10 to intubated premature infants receiving positive pressure ventilation for treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) to prevent long term respiratory complications referred to as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and, more recently, as Chronic Pulmonary Insufficiency of Prematurity (CPIP; asthma, cough, wheezing, multiple respiratory infections). CC10 regulates inflammatory responses and protects the structural integrity of pulmonary tissue while preserving pulmonary mechanical function during various insults (eg. viral infection, bacterial endotoxin, ozone, allergens, hyperoxia). Together these properties suggest that administration of rhCC10 may help to facilitate development of normal airway epithelia and prevent the inflammation that leads to CPIP in these infants. This study is funded by the FDA Office of Orphan Product Development (OOPD).
Premature neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) require up to several hundred procedures during their hospitalization. Many of these are tissue-damaging procedures (TDPs) that cause pain. Through our NIH funded research, we made the novel observation that exposure to a single TDP can significantly increase ATP utilization and oxidative stress, as evidenced by increased plasma levels of hypoxanthine, uric acid and malondialdehyde in neonates exposed to TDPs as compared to controls (no TDP). Because neonates are exposed to numerous TDPs, it is relevant to explore the energy costs of repeated exposures to painful procedures, an important information that is currently not known, as the effect of this cumulative metabolic dysfunction could result in potentially treatable or preventable cell injury. Oral sucrose analgesia is frequently given to relieve procedural pain in neonates on the basis of its effect on behavioral and physiological pain scores. However, we found, through our prospective, randomized, double blind study funded by NIH, that although oral sucrose significantly reduced pain scores, its administration before a single TDP (heel lance) significantly increased ATP utilization. This is evidenced by higher plasma concentrations of hypoxanthine and uric acid in neonates given sucrose compared to control neonates (no TDP, no sucrose) or neonates just given a pacifier. These novel findings raise concern because preterm neonates have limited ATP stores and are susceptible to cell injury due to ATP depletion. In addition, it raises the relevant concern: If a single dose of oral sucrose can alter ATP metabolism, what are the effects of exposure to multiple doses of oral sucrose? More importantly, what is the effect of multiple TDPs and/or multiple oral sucrose dosages on ATP utilization, oxidative stress and cell injury? This application will also explore the effect of 30% oral glucose, another sweet solution currently used to relieve pain, on ATP metabolism. In this study, we will test the general hypothesis that exposure to multiple TDPs and/or multiple doses of oral sucrose analgesia compared to oral glucose or standard care, alter biochemical markers of ATP utilization, oxidative stress and cell injury. We will use a prospective randomized clinical research design to test this hypothesis during days of life 3-7 of human premature neonates. Increased ATP utilization will be quantified by concentrations of hypoxanthine, xanthine and uric acid measured using HPLC. Oxidative stress will be quantified by concentrations of allantoin using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy, and cell injury will be quantified through urinary concentration of intestinal fatty acid binding protein, an early marker of enterocyte injury. Data from this application will provide insight into the cellular and biochemical effects of repetitive and accumulated TDPs and/or multiple doses of oral sucrose. With this knowledge, we will propose and test innovative strategies that will not only decrease pain but also will prevent cell injury or cell death.
Appropriate delivery of adequate nutrition and medications in premature infants often requires central venous access in the form of a special IV called a PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter). While a necessary feature of neonatal intensive care, PICCs pose significant risk: among the most serious of these is infection. One common, successful infection control practice used in older children and adults involves the use of a lock, in which a fluid-filled syringe is attached to the end of an IV when it is not in use in order to prevent and/or treat clotting or infection. The solution is left for some period of time and is then either withdrawn from the line or flushed into the patient. The solution could be saline, antibiotics, other antiseptics, or any combination of these. However in the premature infant, use of antibiotics as a locking compound risks leaving behind organisms resistant to treatment; antiseptics can irritate vessels and cause breakage to sensitive premature skin; saline has neither sterilization nor anti-infective properties. By contrast, ethanol neutralizes or kills most bacteria, viruses, and fungi without the risk of resistance, and because it is not externally applied there is no risk to baby skin. Ethanol-based lock protocols have been used safely and effectively in both adult and pediatric populations without adverse effects, but this has not been tested in premature babies because fluids and medication are delivered continuously: placement of a lock traditionally requires an extended pause (hours or days) in fluid and medication administration. To overcome these key limitations, a periodic, brief ethanol lock protocol was designed such that both infant exposure and interruptions to fluid and medication delivery would be minimized. The lock is practical, cheap, easy to place, and takes advantage of an existing daily pause during which IV tubing and fluids hooked up to the PICC are changed. The objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that use of a 70% ethanol lock, every 3rd day, for 15 minutes, will safely and effectively reduce PICC infection in our unit.
Primary Hypotheses of the study include: * Metabolic profiles are influenced by gestational age, chronological age, type and degree of nutritional support and illness * Metabolic profiles differ between neonates who receive commercial formula and neonates who receive primarily human breast milk * Neonates who develop parenteral associated cholestasis have metabolic markers that identify at risk patients (high serum urea nitrogen, citrulline, histidine, methionine, and succinyl carnitine and low thyroxine, serine and glutamate) * Neonates that have hypothyroidism have abnormal metabolic profiles (low tyrosine levels)
Malnutrition is a common problem in the neonatal intensive care unit. Recent studies indicate that prematurely born neonates commonly develop a severe nutritional deficit during the first weeks after birth, referred to as extrauterine growth restriction. Despite an increase in growth during the second month of hospitalization, many neonates are ultimately discharged home having grown inadequately. The early nutritional deficit affects weight gain as well as growth in length and head circumference. Growth measurements such as weight, length, and head circumference, however, are macroscopic measures of nutritional status and underestimate the physiologic consequences of prolonged nutritional deprivation. Energy and micronutrient deficiencies alter growth at a cellular and tissue level before macroscopic measures are altered. In the brain, for instance, energy is required for cell division and neuronal growth, glial cell function, and myelination. Energy deprivation may consequently alter neuronal function and growth, resulting in adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Immunocompetence also appears to be sensitive to the untoward effects of energy and nutritional deficiency. Malnourished neonates often exhibit immune deficiencies related to inadequate protein intake that compound an already immature immune system. Such immunodeficiency results in susceptibility to infectious agents that creates substantial morbidity and mortality to the course of intensive care for premature infants. A recent study suggests that postnatal malnutrition and growth restriction are inevitable if current recommended dietary intakes are followed. Multicenter studies show that variation in dietary intake accounts for 45% of the variation in growth. Hence, efforts have focused on determining whether nutritional deficiency and the observed growth restriction of premature infants can be prevented through the use of more optimal nutritional intake. In addition, inadequate protein support may be a primary cause for growth failure. Based on animal studies showing high in utero amino acid flux observed during the latter phase of gestation, Thureen et al have suggested the use of higher doses of amino acid supplementation in order to minimize growth restriction and improve outcomes of premature infants. However there are no large human trials that demonstrate that this approach promotes better growth or that it is safe. While small doses of amino acids may be inadequate to promote normal growth, high doses may lead to elevated serum amino acid levels and increase the occurrence of toxicity. Through the implementation of a multicenter, randomized trial and tandem mass spectrometry, the investigators propose to evaluate the effects of two distinct strategies of amino acid supplementation on serum amino acid profiles and growth of premature infants during the first 28 days of life.
Preterm infants, less than 37 weeks gestation with respiratory distress syndrome, who remain ventilated between 7 and 14 days after birth will be randomized to a ventilator strategy of either a higher level of permissive hypercapnia or of a lower level of permissive hypercapnia to determine if either strategy will increase the number of alive ventilator-free days in the 28 days after randomization.
Preterm newborns typically must be thermally regulated. In the United States, isolettes (incubators) are used to help them maintain their temperature. Traditionally, the temperature support (i.e. the temperature of the incubator) is decreased slowly according to NICU protocol until the baby is able to maintain its temperature in an open crib, without regard to the status of its feedings. This study will attempt to determine if there is a difference in length of stay, weight gain, and calories needed to gain appropriate weight between a group of newborns whose isolette temperatures are decreased in an aggressive strategy (isolette temperatures are decreased based only on baby's body temperature), and a group of newborns whose isolette temperatures are decreased in a conservative strategy (isolette temperatures are decreased to a minimum temperature and then kept steady until their feeds are at caloric goal and they are taking at least half of their feeds by mouth).
The purpose of this study is to improve the dosing of morphine in critically ill premature neonates.
Prolacta Bioscience has developed the first purely human fortifier, Prolact-Plus, that can provide a source of many of the required nutrients for premature, newborn infants, particularly protein and calories. This product is made from donor human milk from which the skim (non-lipid portion) has been separated and then concentrated. A certain amount of the lipid content has been added back to achieve higher caloric content within a small delivery volume. The product is then pasteurized and filled in small quantities in order to allow for the addition of mother's own milk (or, possibly, milk from another donor). The goal of the preparation is to achieve an increase of approximately 4 cal/oz of mother's milk and to provide a protein level (when mixed with average pre-term milk) of about 3.5-3.8 g/100 Kcal of feed. The data on Prolact-Plus will be obtained prospectively from infants who will receive human milk fortified in this fashion. The data on standard,bovine (cow)-fortified milk will be obtained retrospectively from medical records at the participating institutions. While this design is not necessarily optimal in this setting, it is an efficient and quick approach to evaluating the acute clinical effect of Prolact-Plus. It is anticipated that further studies will be conducted that will examine longer-term accounts and possibly do this in a controlled, randomized environment. The goal of this study is to evaluate the short-term effect of Prolact-Plus fortified human milk when compared with bovine-based fortification of human milk on parameters such as growth and short-term development, infectious complications and incidence of feeding intolerance in a cohort design. Statistically, the study will attempt to evaluate a null hypothesis of equivalent results with respect to these parameters between the two types of fortifiers as compared with a two-sided alternative (difference between the groups). In addition, data will be collected on overall survival and length of stay in the NICU. These data will be collected for descriptive purposes, although an attempt will be made to compare the findings with those obtained from the bovine-based fortifier.
This study will evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy of ceftobiprole in term and pre-term newborn babies and infants up to 3 months of age with late-onset sepsis (LOS). Ceftobiprole is an antibiotic which belongs to a group of medicines called 'cephalosporin antibiotics'. It is approved for its use to treat adults and children with pneumonia in many European and non-European countries.
Pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure in the arteries to the lungs. It is a serious condition. It causes the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the lungs to become hard and narrow. When this happens, the heart has to work harder to pump the blood through. Some babies are born with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Doctors might use INOmax (a gas the baby breathes) to help newborn babies (neonates) with PH. This study will use information from the records of registered babies to see how effective and safe INOmax is for treating premature and other newborn babies for up to 11 days after they are born.
This study is looking at using a self-contained pH device that will assist in confirming placement of a nasogastric or orogastric tube placed in the stomach of hospitalized infants.
Chronic pulmonary hypertension (cPHT) is a serious cardiopulmonary disorder that causes low oxygen levels in the blood, difficulty in breathing and ultimately heart failure. Newborn babies born extremely premature frequently suffer from cPHT while receiving treatment in neonatal intensive care units and are more likely to die than those without cPHT. Echocardiography is the investigation of choice for the assessment of heart function in premature infants however however there is a significant lack of standardization, sensitivity, and reliability for echocardiography parameters and a lack of consensus regarding optimal detection timing. In adults and older children it is known that early diagnosis and treatment, particularly before right side of the heart fails, is an important determinant of treatment success and survival. Diagnosis late in postnatal course for preterm infants remains a major barrier to timely and effective treatment. The primary objective of this study is to develop new, sensitive, quantitative echocardiographic diagnostic criteria which will allow for the identification of extreme preterm neonates suffering from significantly high pressure in their pulmonary blood vessels, early in postnatal course, when the disease is likely to be most amenable to preventative/curative treatment. This is an international initiative that will leverage expertise about echocardiography techniques and cardiopulmonary physiology of preterm infants.The results of this study will have an immediate impact on the day-to-day care of these highly vulnerable infants. The results will lead to increased awareness among clinicians, inform future surveillance protocols and diagnostic timing, and provide ideal preparation for future therapeutic trials.
To test the hypothesis that early exclusive enteral nutrition with the minimal use of parenteral nutrition will improve preterm infants' nutritional outcomes when compared to delayed progression of enteral nutrition and prolonged use of parenteral nutrition.
The assessment and treatment of pain in neonates remains a challenge. In an effort to improve the quality of care while limiting opioid-related adverse effects, this study aims to determine the efficacy of a non-pharmacological intervention on the mitigation of nociception-specific responses to a skin breaking procedure in term and preterm neonates. Such responses will be measured using behavioral measures as well as with electroencephalography-based methods.
Pain control for newborns has made significant improvements over the last 30 years. The use of narcotics remains the standard of care for neonates undergoing minor and major surgeries. Narcotics, however, are associated with adverse effects such as respiratory depression, prolonged intubation and withdrawal symptoms. Acetaminophen (Tylenol©) has been proposed as an adjunct to reduce narcotic use but current evidence from well designed studies in newborns and premature infants is limited. This study will randomly assign neonates undergoing a surgery to either morphine plus acetaminophen or morphine alone for pain control. The subjects will be followed for 72 hours after the operation and evaluate the benefits of acetaminophen for pain control.
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common problem in the neonatal intensive care unit and can be secondary to prematurity or congenital heart disease (CHD). PDA is the most common cardiovascular abnormality in preterm infants, and is seen in 55% of infants born at 28 weeks, and 1000 grams or less. In addition to producing heart failure and prolonged respiratory distress or ventilator dependence, PDA has been implicated in development of broncho-pulmonary dysplasia, interventricular hemorrhage, cerebral ischemia, and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). In an Israeli population study 5.6% of all very low birth weight infants (VLBW) were diagnosed with NEC, and 9.4% of VLBW infants with PDA were found to have NEC. In a retrospective analysis of neonates with CHD exposed to Prostaglandin E found that the odds of developing NEC increased in infants with single ventricle physiology, especially hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The proposed pathophysiological explanation of NEC and PDA is a result of "diastolic steal" where blood flows in reverse from the mesenteric arteries back into the aorta leading to compromised diastolic blood flow and intestinal hypo-perfusion. Prior studies have demonstrated that infants with a hemodynamically significant PDA have decreased diastolic flow velocity of the mesenteric and renal arteries when measured by Doppler ultrasound, and an attenuated intestinal blood flow response to feedings in the post prandial period compared to infants without PDA. Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) has also been used to assess regional oxygen saturations (rSO2) in tissues such as the brain, kidney and mesentery in premature infants with PDA. These studies demonstrated lower baseline oxygenation of these tissues in infants with hemodynamically significant PDA. These prior NIRS studies evaluated babies with a median gestational age at the time of study of 10 days or less. It is unknown if this alteration in saturations will persist in extubated neonates with PDA at 12 or more days of life on full enteral feedings. In the present study the investigators hypothesize that infants with a PDA, whether secondary to prematurity or ductal dependent CHD, will have decreased splanchnic and renal perfusion and rSO2 renal/splanchnic measurements will be decreased during times of increased metabolic demand such as enteral gavage feeding. To test this hypothesis the investigators have designed a prospective observational study utilizing NIRS to record regional saturations at baseline, during feedings, and after feedings for 48 hours.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether using electrocardiograms (ECGs) during resuscitation of preterm infants (less than 31 weeks gestation) will decrease the amount of time it takes from birth for heart rate (HR) to be above 100 beats per minute and oxygen saturations to be in the goal range, in other words to stabilize the infant. A few studies have been conducted which showed that ECGs are faster at detecting HR than pulse oximetry (PO). Sample sizes, however, have been small and only few extremely low birthweight infants have been included. It is unclear if use of ECG in these tiny preterm infants in addition to traditional techniques to determine HR will be beneficial and impact resuscitation and outcomes. The investigators propose a study where infants will be randomized to either using ECG in addition to PO ± auscultation versus PO ± auscultation only to assess HR during neonatal resuscitation. The investigators hypothesize that the group of infants randomized to ECG will be able to stabilize faster, i.e. achieve HR \> 100 beats per minute and oxygen saturation in goal range faster.
Delayed cord clamping (DCC) from 30 to 60 seconds allows blood to continue to flow from the placenta through the umbilical cord to the infant, thus resulting in a placental transfusion. This transfusion may improve circulating volume at birth leading to a smoother postnatal transition and overall improved outcome for preterm infants. The average blood volume delivered with DCC up to 90 seconds in preterm infants has been estimated to be about 12 ml per kg with vaginal deliveries resulting in slightly higher transfusions compared to cesarean deliveries. Several several short-term benefits have been described including a reduction in the need for blood transfusions as well as a possible reduction in intraventricular hemorrhage and necrotizing enterocolitis. All mothers with threatened preterm delivery between 28 and 34 6/7 weeks will be approached for the study. Following consent, the infant will be randomly assigned to either a 30 or 60 second delay in cord clamping in the delivery room. If the infant is not breathing by 30 seconds, the cord will be clamped and the infant moved to a resuscitation area. The primary outcome is a 3 percent difference in the hematocrit at one hour (routinely obtained on all babies). With approximately 75 neonates in each group (30 and 60 second DCC), there is 80% power to detect a difference in the mean hematocrit of 3% using a two-sample t-test with a 0.05 two-sided significance level.
The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and effectiveness of the Babylog VN500 in high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) mode as a method for treating very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates requiring invasive respiratory support in the treatment of respiratory distress.
The primary hypothesis is that preterm infants who are less than or equal to 32 weeks gestation and weigh 1001-2500 grams at birth will have an increase in weight gain with a feeding goal of 180-200 ml/kg/day more than the commonly used feeding goal of 140-160 ml/kg/day
Extremely premature (BW\<1250g) infants are at high risk for morbidity and mortality. Own mother's colostrum (OMC) and milk (OMM) protect against neonatal morbidity and are rich in immune factors which may provide immunostimulatory effects when administered oropharyngeally to extremely premature infants during the first weeks of life. The investigators hypothesize that infants who receive oropharyngeal mother's colostrum and milk will have significantly lower rates of infection and improved health outcomes, compared to infants who receive a placebo.
The investigators hypothesize that continuous infusion of 4 µg/Kg/day T4 with 30 µg/Kg/day oral potassium iodide (KI) for 42 days from birth will reduce by 30% or more (from an estimated 30% to 21%) the proportion of extremely low gestational age subjects with a composite endpoint of "cerebral palsy (CP) or a Bayley III Composite Cognitive Score \< 85" at 36 months corrected postnatal age (CA).
The purpose of this study is to determine an optimal strategy to wean nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) in preterm babies. The investigators hypothesize that babies that are taken off NCPAP at lower settings will need fewer total days on NCPAP than those babies taken off at higher settings.