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Trial of Aggressive Versus Conservative Phototherapy in Infants <1,000 Grams Birth Weight

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Jaundice, Neonatal
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Small for Gestational Age
Infant, Premature
Registration Number
NCT00114543
Lead Sponsor
NICHD Neonatal Research Network
Brief Summary

This multi-center, randomized clinical trial compared different bilirubin levels as thresholds for timing of phototherapy in extremely low birth weight infants. The primary hypothesis was that there would be no difference in death or neurodevelopmental impairment at 18-22 months corrected age in infants treated by either aggressive or conservative threshold limits. 1,978 infants were enrolled.

Detailed Description

In NICHD Neonatal Research Network (NRN) centers in 2002, phototherapy was administered to 94 percent of the extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants who survive more than 12 hours. Yet, it is unclear what level of bilirubin in the blood is harmful for these very tiny infants -- no data existed from large or recent clinical trials to define the risks, benefits, and appropriate indications for phototherapy in these infants. The largest and most recent trial was the NICHD Collaborative Phototherapy Trial which involved infants treated in 1974-1976 and included only 77 ELBW infants. Data from this study and others suggested that phototherapy could have important hazards as well as benefits for ELBW infants.

This NRN study used two different bilirubin levels as thresholds for timing of phototherapy in 1,978 extremely low birth weight infants, examining the primary hypothesis that there would be no difference in death or neurodevelopmental impairment at 18-22 months corrected age between the aggressively and conservatively treated groups.

Enrolled infants were stratified by birth weight (501-750g and 751-1,000g) and randomized to receive phototherapy regimens based on either an aggressive threshold or a conservative threshold of total serum bilirubin.

In the Aggressive group:

* 501-750 grams birth weight infants, phototherapy was started, stopped, and restarted based on a total serum bilirubin threshold level of 5 mg/dl for day of life 1-14.

* 751-1,000 grams birth weight infants, phototherapy was started, stopped, and restarted based on a total serum bilirubin threshold level of 5 mg/dl for day of life 1-7 and 7 mg/dl for day of life 8-14.

In the Conservative group:

* 501-750 grams birth weight infants, phototherapy was started, stopped, and restarted based on a total serum bilirubin threshold level of 8 mg/dl for day of life 1-14.

* 751-1,000 grams birth weight infants, phototherapy was started, stopped, and restarted based on a total serum bilirubin threshold level of 10 mg/dl for day of life 1-14.

The phototherapy regimens are designed to fall within the range of clinical practice and to assure a sizable difference between groups in total serum bilirubin levels and duration of phototherapy.

The primary outcome was death or neurodevelopmental impairment at 18-22 months corrected age determined at an outpatient clinic visit. Secondary outcomes included death, abnormal neurodevelopmental outcome, severe hearing loss, cerebral palsy, blindness, and important medical outcomes.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
1974
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Death or neurodevelopmental impairment (MDI <70; PDI <70; cerebral palsy; blindness; or severe hearing loss)0-22 months corrected age
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Retinopathy of prematurity36 weeks post conceptual age
Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) by grade120 days old or at discharge
Periventricular leukomalacia120 days old or at discharge
Hearing assessments120 days old or at discharge
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)120 days old or at discharge
Ventilator settings and FiO2 at 36 weeks36 weeks post conceptual age
Patent ductus arteriosus requiring drug or surgical treatment36 weeks post conceptual age
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)36 weeks post conceptual age
Sepsis120 days old or at discharge

Trial Locations

Locations (17)

University of Alabama at Birmingham

🇺🇸

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Stanford University

🇺🇸

Palo Alto, California, United States

University of California at San Diego

🇺🇸

San Diego, California, United States

Yale University

🇺🇸

New Haven, Connecticut, United States

University of Miami

🇺🇸

Miami, Florida, United States

Emory University

🇺🇸

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Indiana University

🇺🇸

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Wayne State University

🇺🇸

Detroit, Michigan, United States

University of Rochester

🇺🇸

Rochester, New York, United States

Wake Forest University

🇺🇸

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

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University of Alabama at Birmingham
🇺🇸Birmingham, Alabama, United States
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