Intestinal Perfusion After Feeding in Preterm and Term Infants

Launched by THE HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN · Mar 18, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, titled "Intestinal Perfusion After Feeding in Preterm and Term Infants," is designed to study how blood flow in the intestines changes before and after feeding in both premature and full-term infants. The goal is to understand these changes better, especially in babies who are at risk for a serious condition called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which can affect their ability to digest food properly.

To participate in this study, infants must be preterm (born before 34 weeks of pregnancy) and receiving full feeding through a tube. However, infants with certain conditions, like major heart problems or infections, will not be included. The study is currently not recruiting participants, but once it starts, eligible infants will be carefully monitored before and after they eat to gather important information that could help improve care for these vulnerable babies.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Preterm infants (≤33 weeks gestational age) of any birth weight receiving full bolus enteral feeding.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Neonates receiving bolus enteral feeds lasting \>30 minutes or continuous enteral feeds will be excluded to avoid overlapping or close timing between pre- and post-prandial intestinal perfusion measurements.
• • Large patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
• • Major congenital malformations
• • Suspected genetic syndrome
• • Ssuspected or confirmed infection
• • Fraction of inspired oxygen of ≥0.60 at enrollment
• • Confirmed diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis diagnosis. NEC will be diagnosed when at least two of the following clinical signs and one radiological sign will be present: (i) Clinical signs (1. abdominal distension; 2. abdominal tenderness; 3. abdominal discoloration; 4. blood in stool). (ii) Radiological signs (1. Pneumoperitoneum; 2. pneumatosis; 3. portal venous gas).