Antepartum Chronic Epidural Therapy (ACET) to Improve Blood Flow to the Uterus, Placenta and Baby in Pre-Eclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction

July 14, 2008 updated by: Hadassah Medical Organization

Antepartum Chronic Epidural Therapy (ACET) Using Ropivacaine to Improve Uteroplacental Blood Flow in Pre-Eclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Pre-eclampsia (PE) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are common and important disorders of pregnancy. Both disorders are associated with an impairment of uteroplacental blood flow (UPBF). No effective therapy has been identified to reliably improve UPBF in these patients and typically, obstetric management involves interventional delivery, particularly problematic when remote from term. This study assess the hypothesis that epidural local anesthetics may improve UPBF in these patients.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Women with sonographic uterine artery flow abnormalities and either PE or IUGR (or both) were randomized to either ACET or non ACET control. Both groups were able to receive standard therapies (in-hospital monitoring, magnesium and anti-hypertensives as appropriate). The first five days of the therapeutic arm (ACET) consisted of a dose-finding trial, where epidural ropivacaine infusions (10ml/hr for 24 hours) of 0•04%, 0•06%, 0•08% and 0•1% and a saline placebo were each administered via tunneled epidural catheters in a randomized, double-blinded, cross-over design over five consecutive days; all three women received all doses. Doppler measurement of flow in the uterine artery was performed at baseline and at the end of each dose period. The ideal dose for an individual was determined to be lowest dose of drug giving maximal effect without side effects; in the second stage of the study, this dose was administered until delivery with the addition of a second placebo day to during this period.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

20

Phase

  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

  • Israel
      • Jerusalem, Israel, 91120
        • Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, POB 12000

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 45 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 1. Reliable gestational age based upon an ultrasound crown-rump length performed between 7 to 14 completed weeks gestation. If the ultrasound date matches the date of the last menstrual period (LMP) within 7 days, the LMP date is used, otherwise the ultrasound date is used.

    2. Gestational age at the time of enrollment between 28 to 32 weeks (based upon 1.) and need for in-hospital observation or treatment REGARDLESS of the study.

    3. Presence of uterine artery notching in ultrasound scan. 4. EITHER 4a or 4b (if both, the patient is enrolled as for 4a): 4a. Pre-eclampsia: Women must have criteria #1 and #2 Criterion #1: Hypertension (> 140/90) at rest, measured twice, at least 6 hours apart.

Criterion #2: Proteinuria:

EITHER: At least 0.1 g/l in two random samples at least 6 hours apart. OR: At least 0.3g in a 24 hour collection.

4b Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR): Women must have criteria #1 and #2. Criterion #1: Ultrasound abdominal circumference below 10th percentile. Criterion #2: Established IUGR for at least 2 weeks.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • at the time of enrollment: active labor, severe pre-eclampsia, (resting blood pressure ≥ 160mmHg systolic or 110 diastolic, recorded on at least two occasions 6 hours apart), known fetal anomaly, intrauterine infection, placental anomalies (previa, abruption, circumvallate, infarction), twins, and refusal of consent.

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Uterine artery blood flow
Gestational age at delivery.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Ductus venosus and MCA blood flow
Proprioceptive loss;
Maternal hemodynamic changes;
Fetal weight (throughout pregnancy and at delivery); amniotic fluid index;
obstetric outcome (maternal mortality, morbidity, neonatal mortality, morbidity, mode of delivery, obstetric complications).

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Hadassah Medical Organization

Collaborators

International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Yehuda Ginosar, BSc MBBS, Hadassah Medical Organization

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

August 1, 2003

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2006

Study Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2006

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 13, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 13, 2005

First Posted (Estimate)

September 20, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

July 15, 2008

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 14, 2008

Last Verified

February 1, 2006

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • ACET1-ginosar-HMO-CTIL

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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