View clinical trials related to Premature Birth.
Filter by:The main objective is to assess the nutritional benefit of probiotics supplementation on premature infants growth. As secondary objectives, different parameters related to probiotics tolerance will be measured.
Recombinant human erythropoietin (Epo) is a promising novel neuroprotective agent. Epo decreases neuronal programmed cell death resulting from brain injury; it has anti-inflammatory effects, increases neurogenesis, and protects oligodendrocytes from injury. We hypothesize that neonatal Epo treatment of ELGANs will decrease the combined outcome of death or severe NDI from 40% to 30% (primary outcome), or the combined outcome of death plus moderate or severe NDI from 60% to 40% (secondary outcome) measured at 24-26 months corrected age. 1. To determine whether Epo decreases the combined outcome of death or NDI at 24-26 months corrected age. NDI is defined as the presence of any one of the following: CP, Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd Edition (Bayley-III) Cognitive Scale < 70 (severe, 2 SD below mean) or 85 (moderate, 1 SD below mean). CP will be diagnosed and classified by standardized neurologic exam, with severity classified by Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). 2. To determine whether there are risks to Epo administration in ELGANs by examining, in a blinded manner, Epo-related safety measures comparing infants receiving Epo with those given placebo. 3. To test whether Epo treatment decreases serial measures of circulating inflammatory mediators, and biomarkers of brain injury. 4. To compare brain structure (as measured by MRI) in Epo treatment and control groups at 36 weeks PMA. MRI assessments will include documentation of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), white matter injury (WMI) and hydrocephalus (HC), volume of total and deep gray matter, white matter and cerebellum, brain gyrification, and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS based on diffusion tensor imaging). As an exploratory aim, we will determine which of the above MRI measurements best predict neurodevelopment (CP, cognitive and motor scales) at 24-26 months corrected age. Anticipated outcomes: Early Epo treatment of ELGANs will decrease biochemical and MRI markers of brain injury, will be safe, and will confer improved neurodevelopmental outcome at 24-26 months corrected age compared to placebo, and will provide a much-needed therapy for this group of vulnerable infants.
The purpose of this study is to assess growth of preterm infants fed human milk supplemented with an experimental human milk fortifier.
The purpose of this study is to to collect and store blood samples that will be utilized to develop a multimarker test to predict preterm delivery.
The aim of the study is to evaluate our 10 year experience of retinopathy of prematurity screening.
In the US, every year approximately 30,000 infants are born very prematurely, with birth weight less than 1000 grams. These infants usually require ventilators to help them breath normally during the first few weeks of life. Although the ventilator is lifesaving, it can also injure the very fragile lungs of these infants. Thus, a ventilation strategy, called permissive hypercapnia (high carbon dioxide), is widely used to prevent lung injury. Importantly, there is new research showing that high carbon dioxide may cause brain injury. In our proposed research, we will use magnetic resonance imaging methods to evaluate the brain in 40 very premature infants at term−equivalent age (Half of them had permissive hypercapnia ventilation, the other half did not) to see if permissive hypercapnia has adverse effect on brain development.
The prevalence of preterm birth is rising in most western countries. The causes of preterm birth is not fully understood and seem to be multifactorial. The endocrine and metabolic aspects are scarcely investigated.The main purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that endocrine and metabolic factors associate to preterm births.
Premature infants sometimes require sedation to ensure minimal movement during diagnostic procedures such as MRIs. However, sedatives may produce adverse effects. The purpose of this two-day study is to determine whether massage therapy will promote sleep in preterm infants and also help them to stay asleep, providing a safer way to sedate infants for procedures. A small instrument called a sleep watch or actigraph will be placed around the infant's ankle to measure muscle activity and provide an indication of sleep. Infants will receive a 10- minute massage on one morning of the study and no massage on the alternate morning. Recordings from the actigraph will show whether there is difference in sleep pattern with and without massage. Infants will be monitored for any heart rate and oxygen saturation changes on both mornings of the study.
The aim of the trial is to investigate the effect of daily supplementation with 2.7 grams of long chain n-3 fatty acids during the third trimester of pregnancy. In 1990, 533 pregnant women, while they were in gestational week 30, were randomized to fish oil supplements providing the mentioned amount of long chain n-3 fatty acids, olive oil supplements, or no supplements; they were asked to take the supplements until delivery. Health outcomes were assessed during pregnancy and delivery. Further, offspring health and development has been examined during the ensuring two decades by making linkages to the rich Danish health and administrative registries, by asking the offspring to complete web-based questionnaires, and by examining the offspring physically.
Placental insufficiency is the source of preeclampsia (PE) and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Current data demonstrate a significant beneficial effect of prophylactic use of aspirin on the recurrence of placental insufficiency and its complications, mainly preeclampsia, when started early in pregnancy. However, there is a significant heterogeneity in medical practice in Canada and around the world in terms of the dose of aspirin used. The objectives of this study are: 1) Evaluate whether a dose of 160 mg of aspirin is associated with greater improvement in placental function assessed by biochemistry (sFlt-1 and endoglin) and ultrasound (uterine artery Doppler) than a dose of 80 mg in women with a history of PE, 2) Assess whether the change is dependent on platelet aggregation measured by a test used in several Canadian centers (PFA-100).