Clinical Research Directory

Serial Brain MRI in Hospitalized Preterm Infants

The purpose of this research study is to use serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to define the timing and factors associated with brain injury as well as the pattern of brain growth of very preterm infants during hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In addition, the goal is to utilize early MRI to risk-stratify preterm infants and tailor rehabilitative interventions according to risk in order to explore associations between NICU rehabilitative intervention and short- and long-term outcomes of preterm infants.

Personalized Care for Prenatal Stress Reduction & Prevention of Preterm Birth (PTB) Disparities

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a personalized prenatal support program \[(Personalized Toolkit Building a Comprehensive Approach to Resource optimization and Empowerment in Pregnancy \& Beyond, (PTBCARE+)\] works to lower stress and lower the risk of early delivery in pregnant individuals at high-risk for delivering preterm. The main question\[s\] it aims to answer are: * Does the PTBCARE+ patient support program lower patient-reported stress levels during pregnancy? * Does the PTBCARE+ patient support program improve biologic measures of stress during pregnancy? * Does the PTBCARE+ patient support program result in a higher chance of delivering a healthy baby at or close to full term? Researchers will compare people who participate in the PTBCARE+ patient support program to those receive usual care to see if the PTBCARE+ patient support program lowers patient-reported stress, improves biologic measures of stress, and increases the chance of delivering a healthy baby at or close to full term. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive the PTBCARE+ patient support program or usual prenatal care. All participants will be asked to: * complete 2 study visits during pregnancy - including completing electronic surveys, providing a blood and urine sample, measuring the heart rate variability by a clip or the ear or finger, and body composition evaluation using a simple scale-like device. * complete one study visit postpartum that includes completing electronic surveys, and measuring heart rate variability. Blood and urine sample collection and body composition evaluation via InBody scale are optional at the postpartum visit. People who are randomly assigned to receive the PTBCARE+ support program will receive several resources to help them during pregnancy. These things include items such as: * a stress reduction toolkit; * access to an online website that can also be downloaded as a smart phone app; * the option to receive an electronic massage while in clinic, and more. * additional support gifts provided at routine clinical appointments People who are randomly assigned to receive usual prenatal care will not receive any additional support resources from the study during pregnancy.

Early Hydrocortisone Versus Regular Treatment in Shock in Extremely Preterm Neonates - an Open Randomized Controlled Trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the effectiveness of early use of hydrocortisone (since the diagnosis of shock) for its resolution within the first 72 hours in premature infants under 1,500 g. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the early use of hydrocortisone help solve shock in preterm infants under 1500 g faster than the standard treatment? * Does the early use of hydrocortisone help prevent death within the first seven days of presentation of shock in comparison to premature infants who receive regular treatment? Researchers will compare the early use of hydrocortisone plus the standard treatment to solve shock against just standard treatment. Participants will: * Be randomized to receive standard treatment for shock according to their neonatologist or this standard treatment plus hydrocortisone as soon as the diagnosis is done and treatment is started. * Be followed either until shock is solved or if they present death due to this event of shock.

Amniotic Fluid & the Preterm Gut

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and sepsis in preterm infants have been linked to intestinal immaturity and preclinical gut microbiota alterations. An important yet understudied contributor in the development of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is amniotic fluid (AF). Knowledge is lacking on the critical shifts that may occur in AF in extremely preterm birth. The aim of the current study is to assess the composition of AF using advanced biomedical techniques. Secondary objectives are to assess AF profiles of infants with chorioamnionitis (CAM) and/or fetal growth restriction (FGR), assess key metabolites across gestation, correlate AF profiles with neonatal outcomes, and explore associations with early gut microbiota. Methods: ln this multicenter, prospective, cohort study, AF (\~5 mL) will be collected from obstetric patients delivering their infants extremely preterm (gestational age (GA) 24+0/7-27+6/7 weeks, n=125), either during vaginal delivery or cesarean section (CS). Additionally, AF samples will be collected from a reference group (n=150), including early midtrimester (GA \<23+/7 weeks), very early and moderate to late preterm (GA 28+0/6-36+6/7 weeks), and full-term pregnancies (GA 37+0/7-41+6/7 weeks). Thorough characterization of AF will be conducted, including microbial profiling and metabolomics. Microbiota profiling of neonatal fecal samples will be conducted to assess the association between AF and early neonatal gut colonization patterns. Discussion and expected results: AF profiles associated with CAM and/or FGR in extremely preterm infants are expected to be identified, as well as relevant associations with neonatal health outcomes (including NEC and sepsis) and early neonatal gut colonization patterns. The current study will not only increase the understanding of the GIT development and the pathogenesis of NEC and sepsis but may also aid in the identification of high-risk infants. In the future, these findings may facilitate early targeted microbiota-based interventions to prevent disease progression and ultimately improve clinical outcomes.

Planned Delivery at 37 Versus 36 Weeks in Pregnancies With Placenta Previaand Accreta

Current clinical practice guidelines recommend planned cesarean delivery(CD) at 34-37 weeks of gestation in pregnant women with placenta previa and accreta. Preterm birth may lead to neonatal immaturity, while laterCD may increase the risk of severe hemorrhage and surgery complications. Retrospective studies have shown that indicated CD occurs in approximately1/3 of patients before 36 weeks, with the main trigger being antepartum hemorrhage. However, the risk of antepartum hemorrhage is lower after 36 weeks. Recent study showed that delivery shifted from 34-36 weeks to 37 weeks did not increase therisk of maternal intraoperative/postoperative hemorrhage and emergency CD. To further validate this, we propose to conduct a randomized controlled study comparing the effect of planned delivery management strategies at 37 0/7-37 6/7 weeks of gestation with those at 36 0/7-36 6/7 weekson maternal and fetal outcomes. The aim of this study is to explore whether planned delivery up to 37 weeks in pregnant women with placenta previa and accreta improves neonatal outcomes without increasing maternal obstetric risks.

Reversibility of Bronchial Obstruction in Children Born Preterm

This observational study aims to compare responses to different, commonly used inhaled bronchodilators in children born preterm with bronchial obstruction at spirometry. All children were diagnosed with Chronic Lung Disease of Immaturity (CLDI). The main questions are: * Is any inhaled bronchodilator or their combination generally superior in children with CLDI when assessing the reversibility of bronchial obstruction? * Is there an individual difference in the effect of betamimetic, anticholinergic or their combination between children with CLDI? Participants will: * Come to our clinic in a stable state without acute infection and they will be randomly assigned to the first inhaled bronchodilator. * They will then perform a spirometry test before and after the inhalation of the drug. * This visit will repeat 3 times, each with a different bronchodilator (beta2agonist, anticholinergic and their combination).

MIRACLE of LIFE Study

The goal of this observational study is to develop and validate cell-free RNA-based biomarkers for predicting a variety of adverse pregnancy outcomes in a pregnant person population. The main question it aims to answer are: 1. Can cell-free RNA-based biomarkers predict which pregnant people are at greatest risk of developing adverse pregnancy outcomes (e.g., preterm birth, preeclampsia)? 2. What is the performance of such biomarkers when predicting an adverse pregnancy outcome (e.g., sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, TPR)?

SOon HOme Study About Preterm Infants

The goal of this randomized controlled trial without medication neither device (for procedure) is to compare the average length of hospital stay of infants weaned from the incubator at a weight greater than or equal to 1400 grams versus infants weaned at a weight greater than or equal to 1600 grams. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is it possible to reduce the average hospital stay in the early weaning group compared with the standard weaning group? * Is this procedure safe and without adverse outcomes between the two groups during the hospital stay and during the first week after discharge?

Impact Assessment of Abdominal Massage on Feeding Tolerance of Preterms

Every year in France, 60,000 children are born prematurely (before 37 weeks of amenorrhea - WA), and present an immaturity of their various systems, in particular the digestive system. This can result in feeding intolerance, expressed by abdominal distension, regurgitation, irregular transit and abdominal discomfort. It can influence the length of hospitalization and lead to necrotising enterocolitis, a major complication. At the Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital Center, abdominal massages have been performed by physiotherapist for several years in order to improve the state of the digestive system of preterm infants. The indication for abdominal massages are very dependent on the caregivers in charge of the newborns because the evaluation of feeding intolerance remains subjective. In this context, the investigators carried out a first study to validate a scale that they created (ECAP scale : Clinical Assessment Scale for Abdominal state of Preterm infant) to assess in a rapid, reliable and reproductible manner the abdominal state of preterm infant - data currently being published). This scale can pose the indications for abdominal massage more objectively. The hypothesis is that abdominal massage improves feeding tolerance (decrease ECAP score), allows faster weight gain and reaching the full ration and therefore reduces the length of hospitalization of preterm infants. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of abdominal massage, over a period of 14 days, on the feeding tolerance of preterm infants (under 34 weeks of amenorrhea), defined by the achievement and maintenance of an ECAP score less than 4 during 3 days.