View clinical trials related to Newborn, Premature.
Filter by:Antenatal absent or reversed end-diastolic flow (AREDF) velocity through the umbilical arteries places preterm infants at significant risk for developing gastrointestinal complications, such as feeding intolerance, necrotizing enterocolitis or spontaneous intestinal perforation. Due to the fear of the aforementioned conditions, the establishment of adequate enteral feeds is frequently hampered in this population. Previous postnatal Doppler studies have shown that AREDF preterm infants who later developed feeding intolerance have a decreased blood flow velocity in the superior mesenteric artery in response to the first enteral feed; to date, however, it is not known whether this hemodynamic impairment persists over time, or if it is associated with reduced splanchnic oxygenation and perfusion, monitored by Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). This observational prospective study aims: - to assess the patterns of abdominal oxygenation and perfusion in response to enteral feeds in AREDF preterm infants at different phases of enteral feeding establishment; - to evaluate a possible correlation with the development of gastrointestinal complications.
Oral feeding of neonates while on nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) is a common practice in many neonatal intensive care units (NICU) all over the country. However the safety of such practice has never been established. The Investigators hypothesize that mechanoreceptors, which should perceive sensory input from the liquid bolus, may be altered by the reception of pressurized airflow provided by the NCPAP, hence increase risk of aspiration. In this study, changes in the pharyngeal phase of swallowing were identified using video fluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) for infants while on NCPAP as compared to off NCPAP.