View clinical trials related to Extreme Prematurity.
Filter by:Anemia of Prematurity (AOP) is very common in extremely preterm infants and often leads to blood transfusions. Folic acid, essential for growth and DNA synthesis, is deficient in premature infants. Despite the adoption of folic acid supplementation, evidence supporting its effectiveness in preventing AOP remains scarce. Recommendations for folic acid intake exceed what's naturally found in breast milk, particularly for extremely low birthweight infants. Practices regarding folic acid supplementation vary widely, prompting the need for research. The FACINATE trial aims to determine if additional folic acid supplementation improves hemoglobin levels and reduces late blood transfusions in extremely preterm infants, a question not addressed in current literature.
Extreme prematurity is constantly increasing according to the World Health Organization. However, methods to train premature infants at risk of disability is sorely lacking. The goal of this project is to overcome this problem. In previous studies, the investigators discovered that promoting the crawling of typical newborns on a mini skateboard, the Crawliskate (a new tool that the investigators designed and patented EP2974624A1), is an excellent way to stimulate infants' motor and locomotor development. This method is a promising way to provide early interventions in infants at heightened risk for developmental delay, such as premature infants. The specific objective of this study is to determine if early training in crawling on this mini skateboard will accelerate motor (particularly locomotor) and/or neuropsychological development in very premature infants identified as high risk for developmental delay. Methodology: The investigators will study and follow two groups of very premature infants born between 24 and 26 weeks of gestational age or born between 26 and 32 with major brain lesions. These infants will be recruited before their hospital discharge at the NICU. After their discharge from the hospital, one group of infants will be trained at home by their parents under the supervision of physiotherapists to crawl on the Crawliskate every day for 2 months (Crawli group), and one group of infants will receive regular medical care (Control group). All infants will be tested for: 1)their crawling proficiency on the Crawliskate at term-equivalent age (just before training for the trained groups) and at 2 and 6 months corrected age (CA, i.e., age determined from the date on which they should have been born), 2) their motor proficiency between 2 and 12 months CA (2D and 3D recording of head control, sitting, crawling, stepping, walking) and 3) their neurodevelopmental, motor and neuropsychological development between 0 and 28 months CA: BSID III edition, ASQ-3, Amiel-Tison's Neurological Assessment, Prechtl Assessment of general movements. One more ASQ-3 questionnaire will be provided at five years. Expected results: The first research hypothesis is that premature infants trained daily to crawl (for two months after discharge from the NICU) will acquire proficient crawling patterns and develop earlier and more effective motor and neuropsychological development than premature infants who receive no training.
The goal of this superiority crossover randomised controlled trial is to investigate whether there is an optimal position at which to perform kangaroo mother care (KMC) in extremely preterm infants in the NICU. The main question it aims to answer is: 1) is there an optimal position for an infant to be held during KMC and 2) to optimise benefits for infants receiving KMC. Participants will be: 1) randomised into two groups which determine which angle they will start at first, 2) assessed over two hour-long sessions on different days with a change in the angle at the 30 minute point, 3) monitored using a Massimo NIRS machine which will record oxygen saturations, cerebral NIRS values and heart rates, and 4) monitored for any episodes of desaturations and bradycardias during this time. Participants will then be assessed beginning with the the other angle first on a different day. The researchers will then compare the two groups to see if being held at a 30 degrees during KMC is superior to being held at 60 degrees in terms of physiological stability.
To study the safety and efficacy of intranasal administration of exosomes derived from mesenchymal stromal cells on long-term neurodevelopmental outcome in extremely low birth weight infants born at gestational age 25/0-27/6 weeks.
Fluid-unresponsive hypotension needing cardiotropic drug treatment is a serious complication in very preterm neonates with suspected late-onset sepsis (LOS; defined as culture positive or negative bloodstream infection or necrotizing enterocolitis occurring >48 hours of age). In Canada, ~250 very preterm neonates receive cardiotropic drugs for LOS related fluid-unresponsive hypotension every year; of these ~35-40% die. Unlike for adult patients, there is little evidence to inform practice. While several medications are used by clinicians, the most frequently used medications are Dopamine (DA) and Norepinephrine (NE). However, their relative impact on patient outcomes and safety is not known resulting in significant uncertainty and inter- and intra-unit variability in practice. Conducting large randomized trials in this subpopulation can be operationally challenging and expensive. Comparative effectiveness research (CER), is a feasible alternative which can generate high-quality real-world evidence using real-world data, by comparing the impact of different clinical practices. Aim: To conduct an international CER study, using a pragmatic clinical trial design, in conjunction with the existing infrastructure of the Canadian Neonatal Network to identify the optimal management of hypotension in very preterm neonates with suspected LOS. Objective: To compare the relative effectiveness and safety of pharmacologically equivalent dosages of DA versus NE for primary pharmacotherapy for fluid-unresponsive hypotension in preterm infants born ≤ 32 weeks gestational age with suspected LOS. Hypothesis: Primary treatment with NE will be associated with a lower mortality Methods: This CER project will compare management approach at the unit-level allowing inclusion of all eligible patients admitted during the study period. 15 centers in Canada, 4 centers in Ireland, 2 centers in Israel and 6 centers in the United States have agreed to standardize their practice. All eligible patients deemed circulatory insufficient will receive fluid therapy (minimum 10-20 cc/kg). If hypotension remains unresolved: Dopamine Units: start at 5mics/kg/min, increase every 16-30 minutes by 5 mics/kg/min to a maximum dose of 15 mics/kg/min or adequate response Norepinephrine Units: start at 0.05 mics/kg/min, increase every 16-30 minutes by 0.05 mics/kg/min to maximum dose of 0.15/mics/kg/min or adequate response
This study is to prove the effectiveness of home based early intervention of extremely premature infant by Parent.
Background: There is significant variation in how clinicians currently present information to parents in periviable labour. Whilst each conversation with an individual set of parents will vary, the current level of variation is extreme. In collaborative discussions with the neonatal parental advisory group whilst designing this project, parents reported numerous experiences of significant variation in practice between clinicians in relation to periviable delivery management. There is a pressing issue of injustice here as the hospital or clinician the parent presents to in labour should not restrict their access to information and options for management at delivery. Parents should be empowered and engaged in making an individualised decision for their infant. However, this is not possible if information is not accurately presented to them. There is a gap in knowledge about what information is vital to include in periviable decision-making conversations between parents and healthcare professionals. This study aims to address this important gap in knowledge. Research Question: How can information sharing and decision-making conversations between healthcare professionals and parents prior to periviable birth be improved? Research Aims: 1. To gain understanding of current UK-wide antenatal optimisation practices for infants born at periviable gestations. 2. To establish an evidence-based conversational structure for pre-delivery periviable decision-making discussions, and a prioritised set of key discussion topics derived from parental consensus and clinician input. 3. To develop a set of parent and clinician derived recommendations to improve pre-delivery periviable decision-making conversations. Methodology: The study would progress along the following structure: 1. Literature Review of literature related to how and what information is presented to parents facing periviable labour by healthcare professionals. 2. Semi-structured interviews with clinicians and parents. The aim will be to determine an evidence-based set of priorities for each group and identify the differences in priorities and barriers that exist in communication between parents and clinicians. 3. National Evaluation of current periviable management practices across the UK. This will benchmark and expose variation in current practice. 4. Analysis of pre-delivery periviable conversations. 5. Focus groups with parents and clinicians to consolidate and stratify key priority themes for periviable decision-making conversations and assess acceptability of developing parent-centred periviable delivery resources. 6. Parent survey of parent-assessed long-term outcomes for periviable delivery survivors. Impact and Dissemination: This study will investigate the key topic areas and conversational structure of pre-delivery periviable decision-making conversations, aiming to provide evidence-based recommendations for improvement.
The intervention proposed is a new organization of care, based on the EXPRIM (EXtrem PRematurity Innovative Management) protocol, involving early, standardized, and multidisciplinary management of women hospitalized for a risk of extremely preterm birth and their children. It will take place in each perinatal network for all pregnant women hospitalized between 22 and 26 weeks with a risk of preterm delivery. Setting up the protocol requires taking into account the parents' time and timing issues, and its potential for change, to plan the implementation of the protocol, especially the degree of emergency of the situation and the probability of imminent delivery. The follow-up collected for this study will take place: - At D4 post-delivery: A questionnaire about the parents' experience of the information delivered and the decisions made will be given to and collected from the parents - At the child's discharge from the hospital, or if he or she dies in the hospital: - Collection of clinical data (principal endpoint) from data in the medical file. - Data to measure practices and adherence to the intervention will be collected - When the child reaches the corrected age of 2 years: - a short questionnaire will be completed by the physician caring for the child at the corrected age of 2 years. The data collected will concern motor and sensory development, in particular, cerebral palsy, blindness, and deafness.. - Information about the child's development will also be collected with a questionnaire including a standardized assessment scale, the ASQ (Ages and Stages Questionnaire), which the parents will complete.
The aim of this study is to determine if fungal colonization is associated to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants less than 29 weeks of gestation, and to determine if an association exists between fungal colonization and complications of prematurity and death.
The SafeBoosC-III 2 year follow up study will follow up on all patients randomised in the SafeBoosC-III clinical trial (NCT03770741). The investigators will collect data when the patients are two years of corrected age from routine standardised follow up assessments, parental questionnaires as well as informal assessments. The study will commence in September 2021, and will expect to include all 72 sites across 18 countries, which take part of the SafeBoosC-III clinical trial.