Bioimpedence and Arterial Function Monitoring at Birth and in Infants

Launched by IMPERIAL COLLEGE HEALTHCARE NHS TRUST · Jan 20, 2021

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how the hearts and arteries of newborns develop, especially focusing on babies who are born small for their gestational age (SGA) or have signs of restricted growth while in the womb (known as fetal growth restriction, or FGR). Researchers want to see if there are differences in heart and artery health between babies who are born at a normal size and those who are smaller. They will also check how conditions like maternal pre-eclampsia, which affects pregnancy, might influence these measurements. The study involves healthy term and preterm infants, and half of the participants will be babies born before 32 weeks of pregnancy.

If your baby is eligible, the study team will measure things like how stiff the arteries are and how well the heart is working, using special devices that are suitable for babies. Parents will need to give their written consent for their baby to participate. The researchers hope to learn more about how heart and artery health can change during the first year of life, which could help us understand long-term health risks for these babies as they grow up.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Healthy term infants (including those with SGA+/-FGR) in the postnatal ward
• • Term and Preterm infants (including those with SGA+/-FGR) admitted to the neonatal unit
• • Written informed parental consent
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Antenatal or postnatal diagnosis of complex/life-limiting congenital anomaly or genetic condition
• • Infants with no realistic chance of survival
• • Infants with fragile skin not permitting use of cuffs for research purposes
• • Babies whose parents have a limited understanding of English will be excluded in the event that communication via NHS translation services is not possible due to clinical demands on these services