Comparison of Feeding Strategies for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Infants

January 19, 2016 updated by: Nicole Spillane, Columbia University

Comparison of Feeding Strategies After Stage 1 Procedures for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of the study is to determine if a continuous feeding regimen as compared to an intermittent bolus feeding regimen leads to improved weight gain in infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) after stage 1 procedures.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

In recent years, survival after neonatal cardiac surgery has improved significantly. As life span has improved in HLHS/single ventricle variants (SVV) survivors, focus has shifted to the understanding and management of associated health problems. Growth failure is a well-recognized major co-morbidity in these patients.

Infants with HLHS/SVV demonstrate progressive growth failure after stage 1 procedures, which appears to stabilize only after stage 2 procedures. Poor nutritional status increases risk for post-operative infections, extends hospital length-of-stay, and adversely affects neurodevelopmental outcomes.

To date, evidence-based feeding strategies that support adequate weight gain and improve nutritional status have not been identified after stage 1 procedures. Continuous enteral feeding regimens have resulted in improved growth in a diverse population of infants with congenital heart disease and have been shown to decrease energy expenditure in premature infants and adults. A randomized, controlled study of HLHS/SVV infants who underwent stage 1 procedures at a single medical center was conducted with the primary objective of comparing weight gain at hospital discharge between infants receiving a continuous feeding regimen versus an intermittent feeding regimen. Secondary objectives were to compare growth and markers of nutritional status at hospital discharge between the two groups. The investigators hypothesized that infants with HLHS/SVV who receive a continuous enteral feeding regimen versus an intermittent feeding regimen will demonstrate improved weight gain, growth, and nutritional status after stage 1 procedures at hospital discharge.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

28

Phase

  • Not Applicable

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

No older than 3 months (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- Subjects with HLHS/SVV who underwent stage 1 procedures (Norwood or Hybrid procedure) who were inborn or transferred into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Columbia University Medical Center

Exclusion Criteria:

- Excluded subjects were those with associated major congenital malformations (e.g. congenital diaphragmatic hernia, gastroschisis) or chromosomal anomalies, and/or those who were small for gestational age at birth.

- Subjects in whom a nasogastric tube or gastrostomy tube was not required for feeding at the time of enrollment and/or who were transferred to outside institutions for recovery after surgery.

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: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Continuous Feeding Regimen
Enteral feedings given as combination of continuous nocturnal feedings and intermittent bolus daytime feedings.
Nocturnal continuous enteral feedings given from 8pm-8am with intermittent bolus feedings every 3 hours between 11am and 5pm. Continuous feedings given via gavage (nasogastric tube, orogastric tube or gastrostomy tube) and intermittent bolus feeds via gavage or nipple. Total caloric intake maintained at 120-130 kcal/kg/d.
Active Comparator: Intermittent Bolus Feeding Regimen
Enteral feedings given as intermittent bolus feedings for entire 24 hour period.
Intermittent bolus enteral feedings given after 3 hours for entire 24 hours period. Feedings given via gavage or nipple. Total caloric intake maintained at 120-130 kcal/kg/d.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Weight Gain in Grams Per Day
Time Frame: Daily until hospital discharge (up to maximum of 3 months of age)
Daily until hospital discharge (up to maximum of 3 months of age)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ganga Krishnamurthy, MD, Columbia University

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

December 1, 2009

Primary Completion (Actual)

November 1, 2012

Study Completion (Actual)

November 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 14, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 15, 2016

First Posted (Estimate)

January 18, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

February 15, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 19, 2016

Last Verified

January 1, 2016

More Information

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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