Clinical trial NCT04056091: Back Rubs or Foot Flicks for Neonatal Stimulation at Birth in a Low-resource Setting
Official title: Back Rubs or Foot Flicks for Neonatal Stimulation at Birth in a Low-resource Setting: an Open-label Randomised Superiority Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Neonatal Resuscitation
Keywords: Neonatal resuscitation
Stimulation
Asphyxia
Lead sponsor: University Hospital Padova
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Jerry Ictho
name: John Bosco Nsubuga
name: Jesca Ameo
name: Giovanni Putoto
name: Peter Lochoro
First posted: 2019-08-14
Enrollment: 186
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 1
Maximum age (years): 10
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Physical stimulation is the most common intervention during neonatal stabilization/resuscitation at birth and is recommended by neonatal resuscitation guidelines in high as well low-income settings. Two modalities of stimulation (back rubs or foot flicks) are recommended.

This is a single center, unblinded, randomized superiority trial. Immediately after birth, all "not crying" infants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to two different modes of stimulation (back rubs or foot flicks). Exclusion criteria will be stillbirths and presence of major neonatal malformations. The primary outcome measure will be the need for FMV. Secondary outcome measures will include Apgar score at 5 minutes, time of initiation and duration of FMV, time to first cry (defined as the first audible cry spontaneously emitted by the infant), death or moderate to severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy within 7 days of life or at discharge, admission to special care, and procedure-associated complications.

The results of the present study will help to identify the most appropriate mode for stimulating the apneic newly infants in delivery room. In clinical practice, this information is very relevant because effective stimulation at birth will elicit spontaneous respiratory in a certain percentage of apneic neonates avoiding the need for positive pressure ventilation and, possibly, further advanced resuscitative maneuvers.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Newly born infants who are apneic (not crying) immediately after birth (and)
2. Expected birthweight \> 1500 g (and)
3. Parental consent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Still births
2. Twins
3. Major congenital malformations (i.e. congenital cardiac malformation, pulmonary hypoplasia, major spina bifida, etc.)

Primary outcomes:
measure: Percentage of babies needing positive pressure ventilation
timeFrame: 2 minutes
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Apgar score at 5 minutes
timeFrame: 5 minutes
measure: Time of initiation of face-mask ventilation
timeFrame: 5 minutes
measure: Time of duration of face-mask ventilation
timeFrame: 20 minutes
measure: Time to first cry
timeFrame: 20 minutes
measure: Percentage of deaths
timeFrame: 7 days
measure: Peercentage of babies admitted to special care
timeFrame: 2 hours
measure: Percentage of procedure-associated complications
timeFrame: 3 days
measure: Percentage of babies with moderate to severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
timeFrame: 7 days
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Moroto
country: Uganda
facility: Matany Hospital
state: Karamoja
Study officials:
References:
citation: Dekker J, Martherus T, Cramer SJE, van Zanten HA, Hooper SB, Te Pas AB. Tactile Stimulation to Stimulate Spontaneous Breathing during Stabilization of Preterm Infants at Birth: A Retrospective Analysis. Front Pediatr. 2017 Apr 3;5:61. doi: 10.3389/fped.2017.00061. eCollection 2017.
citation: Owen CJ, Wyllie JP. Determination of heart rate in the baby at birth. Resuscitation. 2004 Feb;60(2):213-7. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2003.10.002.
citation: Voogdt KG, Morrison AC, Wood FE, van Elburg RM, Wyllie JP. A randomised, simulated study assessing auscultation of heart rate at birth. Resuscitation. 2010 Aug;81(8):1000-3. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2010.03.021. Epub 2010 May 18.
citation: Pietravalle A, Cavallin F, Opocher A, Madella S, Cavicchiolo ME, Pizzol D, Putoto G, Trevisanuto D. Neonatal tactile stimulation at birth in a low-resource setting. BMC Pediatr. 2018 Sep 20;18(1):306. doi: 10.1186/s12887-018-1279-4.
citation: Gaertner VD, Flemmer SA, Lorenz L, Davis PG, Kamlin COF. Physical stimulation of newborn infants in the delivery room. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2018 Mar;103(2):F132-F136. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2016-312311. Epub 2017 Jun 9.
citation: Wyllie J, Bruinenberg J, Roehr CC, Rudiger M, Trevisanuto D, Urlesberger B. European Resuscitation Council Guidelines for Resuscitation 2015: Section 7. Resuscitation and support of transition of babies at birth. Resuscitation. 2015 Oct;95:249-63. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2015.07.029. Epub 2015 Oct 15. No abstract available.
citation: Kamath-Rayne BD, Berkelhamer SK, Kc A, Ersdal HL, Niermeyer S. Neonatal resuscitation in global health settings: an examination of the past to prepare for the future. Pediatr Res. 2017 Aug;82(2):194-200. doi: 10.1038/pr.2017.48. Epub 2017 May 24.
citation: Wyckoff MH, Aziz K, Escobedo MB, Kapadia VS, Kattwinkel J, Perlman JM, Simon WM, Weiner GM, Zaichkin JG. Part 13: Neonatal Resuscitation: 2015 American Heart Association Guidelines Update for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care. Circulation. 2015 Nov 3;132(18 Suppl 2):S543-60. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000267. No abstract available.
citation: Cavallin F, Lochoro P, Ictho J, Nsubuga JB, Ameo J, Putoto G, Trevisanuto D. Back rubs or foot flicks for neonatal stimulation at birth in a low-resource setting: A randomized controlled trial. Resuscitation. 2021 Oct;167:137-143. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2021.08.028. Epub 2021 Aug 23.