Active clinical trials for "Premature Birth"

The general goal of the present study is to examine the developmental changes caused by melatonin in preterm and term newborns. The major brain lesions associated with cerebral palsy and cognitive impairment in preterm infants are periventricular white matter damage (WMD). At the present time, despite major improvements in neonatal care, there are no established therapeutic regimens for the treatment of brain lesions in preterms. Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland; melatonin's neuroprotective action has been well documented in animal experimental models. Neuroprotection is believed to stem from its direct free radical scavenging, indirect antioxidant activities. Originality Several reports have described melatonin secretion in older children, but only a few have observed melatonin concentrations during the first year of life. Very little is known about the fetal pineal melatonin synthesis and nothing at what prenatal age melatonin synthesis starts. Premature infants have a 3 months delay in the development of melatonin rhythmicity compared to full-term infants. One study found discordant data with decreasing melatonin value around term. The absence of longitudinal study and the low number of children included make the interpretation difficult of the secretion of melatonin at the newborn. Hypothesis: Infants born before 28 weeks gestation have melatonin deficiency (50pg/ml), compared to newborns at term (100pg/ml). Study design: prospective, longitudinal, multicenter trial in 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Ile de France. Specific aim is to compare the developmental changes of melatonin in preterm and term newborns (200 infants and their mothers: 4 groups of 50 infants: 24-27GA +6d ; 28-32 GA +6d ; 33-36 GA +6d ; 37-41 GA +6d). Secondary aims are the following: determine Melatonin creatinin excretion in preterm infants correlate between serum melatonin secretion and urinary melatonin and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin excretion determine endogenous melatonin production in the human pineal correlate genetic variations between different levels of melatonin in premature infants assess clinical and neurological outcomes at term Clinical impact The present clinical project is part of a translational approach, expected data for infants born before 28 weeks gestation is melatonin deficiency which should participate in determining the potential use of melatonin as a neuroprotectant in human preterm neonates.

Timely screening and management of modifiable conditions can reduce preterm births, yet providing effective prenatal risk management systems to meet the unique needs of medically underserved populations is complex. If the proposed system proves to be effective in reducing preterm births it can improve maternal and child quality of life as well as reduce the economic burden of preterm births in the U.S.

This is a study for pregnant women who have been diagnosed with Threatened Preterm Labor. The principal aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of Nifedipine treatment versus Atosiban treatment over these patients' newborn babies.

The purpose of this study is to compare the dilating effect of 0, 1, 2 or 3 drops of mydriatic (pupil dilating) in premature infants undergoing routine retinal (eye) screening exams for Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP).

As part of the continuing effort to study the benefit and risks of 17P and preterm delivery, this study is designed as a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled clinical trial of 17P for the prevention of preterm birth prior to 35 weeks, 0 days of gestation in women with a singleton pregnancy, aged 18 years or older, with a previous singleton spontaneous preterm delivery. The study also includes a population pharmacokinetic (PK) substudy to assess the hydroxyprogesterone caproate (HPC) exposure-response relationship and the effect of body mass index (BMI) on the PK of 17P.

Human milk is commonly considered to have 20 calories per ounce (kcal/oz). However, studies show that up to 65% of human milk may be less than the expected 20 kcal/oz which can greatly affect an infant's growth. The investigators now have the ability to measure caloric density of human milk and add human milk cream to any human milk (mother's own or donor human milk) that is less than 20 kcal/oz to bring it up to that amount.

At least 5 of every 1000 live-born babies are very premature and weigh only 500 to 1250 grams at birth. Approximately 30-40% of these high-risk infants either die or survive with lasting disabilities. The aim of this research is to reduce this heavy burden of illness. A multi-center randomized controlled trial has been designed in which 2000 very low birth weight infants will be enrolled. Our goal is to determine whether the avoidance of methylxanthine drugs will improve survival without disability to 18 months, corrected for prematurity. Methylxanthine drugs such as caffeine are used to prevent or treat periodic breathing and breath-holding spells in premature infants. However, there is a striking lack of evidence for the long-term efficacy and safety of this therapy. Methylxanthines block a naturally occurring substance, called adenosine, which protects the brain during episodes of oxygen deficiency. Such episodes are common in infants who are treated with methylxanthines. It is possible that methylxanthines may worsen the damage caused by lack of oxygen. Therefore, this trial will clarify whether methylxanthines cause more good than harm in very low birth weight infants.

The hypothesis is that administration of two courses of antenatal corticosteroids, compared to one course, will show a 40% reduction in the incidence of composite neonatal morbidity in patients delivering prior to 34 weeks' gestation.

This study investigates the effects of enterally supplied glutamine on gastric emptying, intestinal transit, age of total enteral nutrition and age at the end of hospitalisation. Forty neonates, aged at least 2 days and free of acute illness participate in a prospective, randomised, double-blind study. All are fed with parenteral and enteral nutrition enriched with glutamine (0.7 g/kg/per day, group 1) or isonitrogenous control (group 2). Gastric emptying is analysed by sequential measure of intragastric residue by diluted polyethylene glycol (PEG) 4000. Intestinal transit is analysed by Rouge Carmin test.

The purpose of this study is to show whether Veronate, a donor-selected staphylococcal human immune globulin intravenous (IGIV), can prevent an infection in the blood caused by staphylococcal bacteria in premature babies weighing between 500 and 1250 grams at birth. Babies are enrolled between Day of Life 3 and 5. Babies are randomized to either Veronate or placebo (50-50 chance of either). Babies can receive up to 4 doses of the study drug on Study Days 1, 3, 8 and 15 and are followed until Study Day 70 or discharge from the hospital.