Active clinical trials for "Premature Birth"

The threat of preterm labour (PTL) is the first cause of hospitalization in the course of pregnancy. Its diagnostic is based on clinical examination with a positive predictive value of about 40 %. The role of the Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) in delivery has been suggested by its secretion in the amniotic fluid during labour and by the increase in the expression of its RNA messengers in the peripheral maternal blood. We have also shown that the proportion of MCP-1-expressing monocytes is higher in women with vaginal delivery compared with those with caesarean delivery prior the onset of labour. OBJECTIVES : Primary To seek link between the respective proportions of circulating maternal monocyte and lymphocyte subpopulations and the true onset of PTL characterised by delivery occurring within 7 days post admission. Secondary: to (1) compare the predictive values of these new markers with those currently used, e.g. quantification of fœtal fibronectin and assessment of cervical length and effacement, (2) Compare the respective proportions of monocytes and lymphocyte subpopulations in maternal blood and fœtal membranes, (3) determine if a correlation exists between the activation markers expressed by maternal monocyte and lymphocyte subpopulations and the neonatal outcomes of preterm infants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 200 patients with a singleton pregnancy between 24 and 34 weeks of amenorrhea and complicated PTL, will be prospectively included in the maternity wards of Galway (Ireland) and of Dijon with the support of the perinatal network of Burgundy. A 2X5ml blood sample will be collected upon admission, at D1, D2, D4 and D6 for women who did not deliver within the first 7 days; finally, another blood sample will be drawn upon discharge. After delivery, foetal membranes will be collected to characterize and compare the various monocyte and lymphocyte subpopulations in the maternal blood. The characterization and the study of the level of activation of blood and foetal membrane cells will be performed using flow cytometry technique with suitable markers. The main judgment criteria will be the percentage of monocytes positively expressing MCP-1 for all three monocyte subpopulations ("inflammatory", "residents or patrollers" and "intermediates", according to CD14, CD16, CCR2 and MCP-1 markers. Lymphocyte subpopulations will be assessed using the following markers: CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8 (T lymphocytes), HLA-DR (activated T lymphocytes), CD19 (B lymphocytes), CD16/CD56 (NK Cells), intracellular IFN-gamma (Th1 lymphocytes), intracellular IL-4 (Th-2 lymphocytes), intracellular IL-17 and CCR6 (Th17 lymphocytes), CD4, CD25, Foxp3 and CD127 (Tregs). Univariate statistical analysis of quantitative data will be performed using the Mann and Witney test or ANOVA, after verification of the conditions of application. The comparisons of percentages will be done using Chi-square Pearson tests and the Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. The multivariate analysis will be performed using a stepwise descending analysis. TRANSLATIONAL DIMENSION: The characterization of the various monocyte and lymphocyte subpopulations in the maternal blood and in the foetal membranes might constitute an " immunological signature " of the labour and therefore validate the relevance of a predictive marker for clinicians. EXPECTED RESULTS AND PERSPECTIVES: The study of the various monocyte and lymphocyte subpopulations in the maternal blood will allow to better characterise the immunological mechanisms occurring at the start of premature labour and to identity predictive markers of the preterm delivery, to validate prospectively in order to optimize the management of PTL

Background 25,000 infants are born extremely preterm every year in Europe. This group of infants carries a high risk of death and subsequent cerebral impairment for the infant, especially in the first 72 hours of life. Mortality is about 20%, and about 25% of survivors live with either cerebral palsy or low intelligence quotient. Preventative measures are keys to reducing mortality and morbidity in this population. There is evidence that the cerebral oxygenation time spent out of range (time with hypoxia or hyperoxia) is associated with poor outcome in infants. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been used to monitor tissue oxygenation since the mid-1980s, and quantification of oxygenation (rStO2) in a percentage from 0 to 100% has been possible for 10 years. From almost 400 preterm infants normal ranges of rStO2 has been determined to be from 55% to 85%. Still, there are no clinical trials and thus no solid evidence of the clinical utility of NIRS in preterm infants. Thus, research on the benefits and harms of cerebral monitoring using NIRS as a part of clinical management of premature infants is much needed. Objectives The primary objective of the SafeBoosC trial is to examine if it is possible to stabilise the cerebral oxygenation of extremely preterm infants during the first 72 hours of life through the application of cerebral NIRS oximetry and implementation of an rStO2-specific clinical treatment guideline. We hypothesise that by using the specified treatment guideline to respond to cerebral monitoring readings outside the target range, we would reduce the burden of hypo- and hyperoxia and consequently reduce brain injury. Trial design This is an investigator-initiated randomised, blinded, multinational, phase II feasibility clinical trial involving preterm infants from 12 European countries. Inclusion criteria The inclusion criteria are: neonates born more than 12 weeks preterm (gestational age up to 27 weeks and 6 days); decision to conduct full life support; parental informed consent; and cerebral NIRS oximeter placed within 3 hours after birth. Sample size With a 50% reduction of the area outside the normal range of oxygenation in %hours in the experimental group compared to the control group as the minimal clinically significant difference, a standard deviation of the area outside the normal range of 83.2 %hours, a type I error (alpha) of 5%, and a type II error of 0.05 (power of 95%) inclusion of 75 preterm infants in the experimental group and 75 preterm infants in the control group is required. The inclusion of twins are likely to decrease power, so it has been decided to increase sample size to 165 on a pragmatic basis of estimating intracluster correlation, control event rate, and incidence of twin births. Intervention The premature infants will be randomised into one of two groups (experimental or control). Common is that both groups will have a cerebral oximeter monitoring device placed within three hours after birth. In the experimental group, the cerebral oxygenation reading is visible, and the infant will be treated accordingly using a defined treatment guideline. In the control group, the cerebral oxygenation reading is NOT visible, and the infant will be treated as usual. Trial duration Monitoring by cerebral oximeter will be started as soon as possible and within 3 hours after birth and the intervention will last for 72 hours. Thereafter, each neonate will be followed up at term date (approximately three months after birth) and at 24 months after term date. Outcome measures The primary outcome is the burden of hypo- and hyperoxia in %hours during the first 72 hours after birth. The secondary outcomes are brain activity on an amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG), blood biomarkers (brain fatty acid binding protein (BFABP), neuroketal, and S100β), serious adverse reactions (SARs), severe brain injury, and all cause mortality at term date (approximately three months after birth). The exploratory outcomes are burden of hypoxia, burden of hyperoxia, neonatal morbidities, brain injury score on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), number of therapies implemented during the intervention, physiological variables (mean blood pressure (BP), pulse oximeter oxygen saturation (SpO2), and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2)), and psychomotor impairment according to neurodevelopmental scales at 24 months after term date.

This study aims to determine whether the Arabin cervical pessary prevents preterm birth in women with a twin pregnancy and a short cervix.

Doctors have tried many different methods of feeding to try to decrease feeding intolerance in preterm babies so that they spend less time receiving liquid nutrition and have fewer problems with feeding intolerance. The purpose of this study is to test two different methods of feeding preterm babies in the hopes of identifying a method that will decrease some of the feeding intolerance that can occur when feeding premature babies.

Background. Anomalies of the vaginal flora (bacterial vaginosis, BV) are associated with an increased risk of late abortions and preterm birth. Studies of antibiotic treatment of BV to reduce the risk of prematurity have not found a statistically significant diminution of risk (<= 32 wks: OR=0.49 [0.05-5.1], < 37 wks: OR=0.83 [0.59-1.17]).A partial explanation of these findings is that some of these treatment were administered vaginally, most often during the second or third trimester Aim: To reduce the frequency of late abortions and very preterm birth by prescribing clindamycin vs placebo to patients diagnosed with BV before 13 weeks.

The purpose of this research study is to evaluate the usefulness of progesterone vaginal gel in decreasing the preterm birth rate in a population of pregnant women with short cervical length and at high risk for preterm birth.

The purpose of the project is to investigate the status of nutrition management of late preterm infants in the member hospitals in the Beijing association of preterm infants, and set up the systemic nutritional management of late preterm infants, Including parenteral nutrition and enteral feeding. And to compare the differences of growth and complications of these infants between groupings applicationg and not applicating the systemic nutritional management of late preterm infants,and to validate its feasibility and validity.

This study's aim is to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of transperineal ultrasound assessment compared with speculum examination, nitrazine and placental micro globulin-1 tests.

We hypothesize that topical betaxolol will reduce the development of severe retinopathy of prematurity.

Two groups will be recruited. The first group are pregnant ladies that have unequivocal rupture of fetal membranes that is diagnosed by seeing the amniotic fluid leakage in the vagina. The second group are normal pregnant ladies without rupture of membranes. both groups will be tested by taking vaginal washing fluid. Quantitative and qualitative pregnancy tests will be measured in this fluid.