Humidity in Incubators for Tiny Infants (HumidITI)

September 8, 2026 updated by: Matthew Rysavy, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Humidity in Incubators for Tiny Infants (HumidITI) Trial

The objective of the study is to compare different supplemental incubator humidification strategies for infants <25 weeks' gestation admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The study aims to compare higher (90%) and lower (70%) starting relative humidity (RH), as well as shorter (10 days) and longer (28 days) duration of humidity supplementation.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
900

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Alabama
      • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35294
        • Recruiting
        • The University of Alabama at Birmingham
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Colm Travers, MD
        • Contact:
    • California
      • San Diego, California, United States, 92123
    • Ohio
      • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43205
        • Recruiting
        • Nationwide Children's Hospital - Grant Medical Center
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Carl Backes, MD
      • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210
        • Recruiting
        • Nationwide Children's Hospital - Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Carl Backes, MD
        • Contact:
    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
        • Recruiting
        • Texas Children's Hospital
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Shweta Parmekar, MD
        • Contact:
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77054
        • Recruiting
        • The Woman's Hospital of Texas
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Kaashif Ahmad, MD, Mac
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
        • Recruiting
        • Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Matthew Rysavy, MD
      • San Antonio, Texas, United States, 78229
        • Recruiting
        • St. Luke's Baptist Hospital
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Christine Aune, MD
      • San Antonio, Texas, United States, 78258
        • Recruiting
        • North Central Baptist Hospital
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Brent Reyburn, MD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Inborn infant of <25 weeks' gestation admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Infants with known congenital skin conditions
  • Outborn infants
  • Infants with unknown gestational age prior to birth
  • Infants with redirection of intensive care prior to study enrollment
  • Infants whose parents request not to participate

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Higher (90%) starting RH in the incubator with humidity supplementation stopped at day 10
Infants will be provided usual delivery room care and then placed in an incubator on admission to the NICU, receiving starting relative humidity (RH) of 90% in the incubator, which is weaned to 50% by day 8, and humidity supplementation stopped at day 10.
Device: Higher (90%) starting RH in the incubator with humidity supplementation stopped at day 10
Infants will be provided usual delivery room care and then placed in an incubator on admission to the NICU, receiving starting relative humidity (RH) of 90% in the incubator, which is weaned to 50% by day 8, and humidity supplementation stopped at day 10.
Active Comparator: Lower (70%) starting RH in the incubator with humidity supplementation stopped at day 10
Infants will be provided usual delivery room care and then placed in an incubator on admission to the NICU, receiving starting relative humidity (RH) of 70% in the incubator, which is weaned to 50% by day 8, and humidity supplementation stopped at day 10.
Device: Lower (70%) starting RH in the incubator with humidity supplementation stopped at day 10
Infants will be provided usual delivery room care and then placed in an incubator on admission to the NICU, receiving starting relative humidity (RH) of 70% in the incubator, which is weaned to 50% by day 8, and humidity supplementation stopped at day 10.
Active Comparator: Higher (90%) starting RH in the incubator with humidity supplementation stopped at day 28
Infants will be provided usual delivery room care and then placed in an incubator on admission to the NICU, receiving starting relative humidity (RH) of 90% in the incubator, which is weaned to 50% by day 8, and humidity supplementation stopped at day 28.
Device: Higher (90%) starting RH in the incubator with humidity supplementation stopped at day 28
Infants will be provided usual delivery room care and then placed in an incubator on admission to the NICU, receiving starting relative humidity (RH) of 90% in the incubator, which is weaned to 50% by day 8, and humidity supplementation stopped at day 28.
Active Comparator: Lower (70%) starting RH in the incubator with humidity supplementation stopped at day 28
Infants will be provided usual delivery room care and then placed in an incubator on admission to the NICU, receiving starting relative humidity (RH) of 70% in the incubator, which is weaned to 50% by day 8, and humidity supplementation stopped at day 28.
Device: Lower (70%) starting RH in the incubator with humidity supplementation stopped at day 28
Infants will be provided usual delivery room care and then placed in an incubator on admission to the NICU, receiving starting relative humidity (RH) of 70% in the incubator, which is weaned to 50% by day 8, and humidity supplementation stopped at day 28.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Composite safety score
Time Frame: from admission to the NICU through hospital discharge (about 4-5 months)

A single composite safety score will be reported (mortality and 6 morbidities will be assessed to determine this score). The composite score ranges from 0 to 7, with a higher score indicating a better outcome, as listed below:

  • 0 = Infant does not survive
  • 1 = Infant survives, has all 6 assessed morbidities
  • 2 = Infant survives, has 5 assessed morbidities
  • 3 = Infant survives, has 4 assessed morbidities
  • 4 = Infant survives, has 3 assessed morbidities
  • 5 = Infant survives, has 2 assessed morbidities
  • 6 = Infant survives, has 1 assessed morbidities
  • 7 = Infant survives, has no assessed morbidities

Morbidities assessed:

  • grade III-IV intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH)
  • surgical necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or focal intestinal perforation (FIP)
  • grade III bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)
  • treated retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)
  • culture-proven late-onset sepsis (LOS)
  • patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) ligation
from admission to the NICU through hospital discharge (about 4-5 months)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Average axillary temperatures in degrees Celsius (°C)
Time Frame: daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
Average daily total fluid intake in milliliters per kilogram per day (mL/kg/d)
Time Frame: daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
Average daily total fluid output in milliliters per kilogram per day (mL/kg/d)
Time Frame: daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
Average daily weight in grams
Time Frame: daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
Average daily serum sodium in milliequivalents per liter per day (mEq/L/d)
Time Frame: daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
Highest serum creatinine level in in mg/dL
Time Frame: from admission to the NICU to postnatal day 28
from admission to the NICU to postnatal day 28
Average daily calories administered in kilocalories per kilogram per day (kcal/kg/d)
Time Frame: daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
Average daily protein administered in grams per kilogram per day (g/kg/d)
Time Frame: daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
daily from admission to the NICU to day 28
Number of participants who were administered insulin
Time Frame: from admission to the NICU to postnatal day 28
from admission to the NICU to postnatal day 28
Number of participants who were administered vasopressor
Time Frame: from admission to the NICU to postnatal day 28
from admission to the NICU to postnatal day 28
Number of unplanned removals of vascular access or breathing tube
Time Frame: from admission to the NICU to postnatal day 28
from admission to the NICU to postnatal day 28
Weight in grams
Time Frame: 36 weeks postmenstrual age
36 weeks postmenstrual age
Length in centimeters
Time Frame: 36 weeks postmenstrual age
36 weeks postmenstrual age
Head circumference in centimeters
Time Frame: 36 weeks postmenstrual age
36 weeks postmenstrual age
Number of participants who survive to hospital discharge
Time Frame: from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
Number of participants with severe (grade III-IV) intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH)
Time Frame: from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
Number of participants with grade III bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)
Time Frame: from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
Number of participants with treated retinopathy of prematurity [ROP]
Time Frame: from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
Number of participants with culture-proven late-onset sepsis (LOS)
Time Frame: from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
Number of participants with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) ligation
Time Frame: from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
Number of participants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or focal intestinal perforation (FIP)
Time Frame: from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
from admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Average total pre-discharge costs
Time Frame: from time of admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)
Total pre-discharge costs (assessed from the health system perspective) encompass facility costs and professional service costs.
from time of admission to the NICU to discharge (about 4-5 months)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Matthew A. Rysavy, MD, PhD, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 25, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 15, 2030

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 1, 2030

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
April 26, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 2, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 6, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 11, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 8, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • HSC-MS-24-0206

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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