Active clinical trials for "Birth Weight"

The purpose of this multicenter trial is to determine if indomethacin prevents bleeding in the brain of very low birth weight preterm infants.

Invasive fungal infection is detecting candida species in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or urine. Clinical signs of invasive candidiasis may include lethargy, temperature instability, feeding intolerance, apnea, hypotension, respiratory distress, abdominal distension, and thrombocytopenia. Fungal infection has been associated with an increased risk of retinopathy of prematurity and chronic lung disease. Preterm and low birth weight infants have an immature immune system that predisposes them to infections with bacteria, viruses, and fungi. These infants usually require prolonged admission in the neonatal unit and there is often a need for the administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics which predisposes them to colonization with fungi that may invade to cause systemic disease8. Other risk factors for the development of invasive fungal infection include endotracheal intubation, abdominal surgery, the presence of a central venous catheter, administration of H2 antagonists, and steroids. Infection with Candida species is the third most common cause of bloodstream infection in premature infants. Mortality in preterm infants due to invasive candidiasis is around 20% and can be as high as 50% in infants weighing <1500g at birth. Invasive candidiasis is the second most common infectious cause of death in extremely preterm infants. The present study was conducted to determine the incidence of invasive candidiasis among preterm and very low birth weight infants in our neonatal unit and to evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic fluconazole in preventing invasive fungal infection. Based on the results of the present study institutional guidelines may be designed in our neonatal unit relating to antifungal prophylaxis in preterm and very low birth weight infants.

Zinc (Zn) is a structural component of human body and is a crucial element for a wide variety of cascades that take place in almost all organ systems. Due to many reasons, preterm infants are generally believed to be naturally in a negative Zn balance during the early periods of life. Regulation of intestinal Zn absorption of preterms is unrelated to infant's Zn status. There still is a lack of knowledge in the possible relation of Zn deficiency and development of NEC and/or feeding intolerance in preterm infants. Even if Zn is studied as an adjunct treatment for neonates and young infants with sepsis and found to reduce treatment failure in these high risk population, data in preventing infectious diseases in preterm infants is still lacking.

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.

This study is multicentered, prospective, randomized, opened, parallel, intervention study. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Montelukast sodium in the prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infant, below 32weeks gestational age. The investigators evaluate the first effectiveness through the morbidity and mortality of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. And then, the investigators evaluate the second effectiveness through the oxygen index, the usage of mechanical ventilator about taking medicine after 2 Weeks, Oxygen Utilization After 4 Weeks, Proinflammatory Cytokine through the bronchial lavage fluid.

This study is being conducted to assess the impact of promoting community initiated Kangaroo Mother Care (ciKMC) for low birth weight babies on post enrolment neonatal mortality and mortality post enrolment upto 6 months of age. This large individually randomized controlled trial will enroll 10500 low birth weight babies. The secondary objectives are examining the impact of the intervention on exclusive breast feeding and growth at 1 and 3 months, infections and hospitalizations in the neonatal period and from 1 to 5 months of age, recognition of illnesses and early care seeking from appropriate sources, motor and mental development in a subsample. Newborns weighing >=1500 to <=2250gm are being enrolled into the study within 3 days of birth. Eligible babies are randomized to intervention or control arms. Mothers in the intervention arm are supported for KMC and breastfeeding by study ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife) and study ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) like workers . Routine home visits are conducted in both intervention and control arms by government workers according to the existing government program. Survival will be ascertained in all enrolled infants through contacts at 1, 3 and 6 months. The data safety and monitoring committee (DSMC) conducted two interim analyses, first in September 2017 when about half of the infants had been enrolled, and second in June 2018, when almost three quarters of the enrolled babies had been followed till 28 days of age. Following the second interim analysis, the DSMC concluded that a sufficient number of infants would be enrolled by the end to September 2018 to clearly answer the study question concerning the impact of ciKMC on both neonatal and early infant mortality. The DSMC recommended that data collection be completed by the end of October 2018.

High neonatal mortality rates accounts for a substantial early loss of lives in Malawi; and has thus been a hindrance for Malawi to eradicate child deaths. From 2000 to 2011, Malawi achieved an overall reduction of 23% in under-five child mortality. The reduction was more substantial between the second and the fifth year of life, being 28%. However, in the neonatal period the reduction was half, at 14%. Neonatal deaths in developing countries are due to prematurity or low birth weight, neonatal infections, birth trauma related conditions and congenital anomalies. Being of low birth weight increases the risk of death four fold in the neonatal period. Even when low birth weight infants survive, their poorly developed immune function exposes them to increased morbidity in early life. Maternal nutrition represents by far the greatest influence among pregnancy environmental on birth weight in low income countries. There is strong evidence that health and dietary counselling is effective in improving child nutrition outcomes. Thus we propose to test the effectiveness in improving birth weight by a low cost intervention, community based health and nutrition counselling delivered to mothers during pregnancy in Malawi. On the other hand, in the Malawian context offering individualized dietetic counselling could be impeded by the healthcare workforce short fall. Currently the health workforce does not include dieticians . The use of lay health workers (LHW) has been identified as one of the effective strategies to meet the health workforce shortage challenges in low resource settings. It is on this basis that a study was planned, aimed at developing lay health worker delivered community based nutrition counselling to mothers during pregnancy and measuring its effectiveness in improving birth weight in the Malawian context. The study was comprised of an initial i) formative study, followed by ii) a cross-sectional survey. Findings of these two sub-studies were utilized to develop a nutrition counselling intervention. Finally iii) a cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (cRCT) aimed at measuring the effect of the intervention on birth size (weight, length, arm and abdominal circumferences) will now be conducted which is being elaborated in this protocol.

This study evaluates the utility of placental/umbilical cord blood (PUCB) to perform the baseline workup testing for EONS in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: CBC (Complete Blood Count) with differential, Immature/Total ratio (I/T ratio), and blood culture along with CRP and IL-6 levels. A cohort (63 subjects) of preterm infants will be recruited. All the participants will be evaluated for sepsis using placental/umbilical cord blood (PUCB) and subject blood sample during the first 12 hours of life (after birth).

The management protocols, clinical practices, equipment, infrastructure, and key personnel in NICU are unchanged during the study period. The data collected by each center are transmitted to the office of the principal investigator (Dr Lin) at China Medical University Hospital. Primary outcome is death or attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and ASD.

Colostrum, mothers' early breastmilk, contains multiple factors that provide immune protection to very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, a population at high risk for hospital-acquired infections. However, critical illness during the first few days of life often prevents the initiation of enteral feeds, placing these infants at even higher risk for morbidities including feeding intolerance and infection. Oropharyngeal administration has been proposed as an alternative route of delivery for colostrum and the immune benefits it provides. Research from animal and adult human models supports oropharyngeal administration as a potentially safe and effective mode of delivery for immune therapies. Immune components of colostrum, such as secretory IgA, may have both direct and indirect effects on the immune system. The purpose of this proposed randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study is to determine the effect of oropharyngeally administered colostrum (OAC) on immune stimulation in VLBW infants, as measured by secretory IgA (sIgA) levels. In addition to measuring sIgA response to OAC the investigators will also collect clinical data to determine if OAC has effects on tolerance of enteral feedings and rates of infection. The investigators hypothesize OAC will have a moderate effect on salivary secretory IgA concentration in VLBW infants. If proven efficacious, utilization of OAC in VLBW infants could have far reaching consequences for these highly fragile babies including lower rates of infection, improved tolerance of enteral feedings, and shorter NICU stays.