Clinical Trial: Corticosteroid Therapy in Neonates Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Corticosteroid Therapy in Neonates Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Brief Summary: Although cardiopulmonary bypass (heart-lung machine) is a necessary component of heart surgery, it is not without consequences. Cardiopulmonary bypass initiates a potent inflammatory response secondary to the body's recognition of the abnormal environment of the heart-lung machine. This inflammatory response may lead to poor heart, lung and kidney function after the heart surgery. This is turn can lead to longer times on the ventilator (breathing machine), the need for higher doses of heart medications, a longer stay in the intensive care unit and even death. This is particularly true in infants less than one month of age due to their size and the immaturity of their organs. The appreciation of the post-cardiopulmonary bypass inflammatory response has resulted in a number of interventions directed at its reduction. No therapy has been recognized as the standard of care; however steroid therapy has been applied most often despite unclear evidence of a benefit. This study aims to determine if steroids improve the outcomes of babies undergoing heart surgery.

Detailed Summary: This study is a multi-institutional randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial of the use of glucocorticoids to improve the clinical course of neonates following cardiac surgery. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is critical to cardiac surgery, but the pathophysiologic processes engendered by CPB play an important role in post-operative recovery. The use, doses and schedule of glucocortiocoid administration to ameliorate these CPB induced processes is highly variable and without clear data to provide direction. The Primary Aim of this study is to compare the effects of intraoperative methylprednisolone to placebo on a composite morbidity-mortality outcome following neonatal CPB. Secondary Endpoints include: inotropic requirements, incidence of low cardiac output syndrome, fluid balance, ICU stay parameters, levels of inflammatory molecules, neuro-developmental outcomes, and safety parameters. The study will focus on neonates because their post-CPB clinical course is typically more severe, and that high level of severity itself provides a substrate for identifying the positive effects of a particular therapy. Finally, a therapy identified as beneficial has the greatest potential for benefit in this vulnerable population
Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina

Current Primary Outcome: Incidence of a clinically derived composite morbidity-mortality outcome [ Time Frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of hospital stay, an expected average of 5 weeks ]

The composite morbidity-mortality outcome will be met if any of the following occur after surgery but before hospital discharge: death, cardiac arrest, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, renal insufficiency (creatinine more than two times normal), hepatic insufficiency (aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase more than two times normal), or rising lactic acidosis (>5mmol/L). This outcome was choosen because death rarely occurs in this population. We have found this endpoint to be highly associated with other important clinical outcomes in this population.


Original Primary Outcome: Incidence of a clinically derived composite morbidity-mortality outcome [ Time Frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of hospital stay, an expected average of 5 weeks ]

The composite morbidity-mortality outcome will be met if any of the following occur after surgery but before hospital discharge: death, cardiac arrest, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, renal insufficiency (creatinine more than two times normal), hepatic insufficiency (aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase more than two times normal), or lactic acidosis (>5mmol/L). This outcome was choosen because death rarely occurs in this population. We have found this endpoint to be highly associated with other important clinical outcomes in this population.


Current Secondary Outcome:

  • Duration of mechanical ventilation post cardiac surgery. [ Time Frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of hospital stay, an expected average of 5 weeks ]
    Amount of time on mechanical ventilation following cardiac surgery
  • Intensive care unit stay [ Time Frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of hospital stay, an expected average of 5 weeks ]
    Amount of time in the intensive care unit following cardiac surgery
  • Hospital stay [ Time Frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of hospital stay, an expected average of 5 weeks ]
    Total duration of hospital stay following cardiac surgery
  • Neurodevelopmental outcome [ Time Frame: 1 year ]
    Bayley Scale of Infant Development at 1 year


Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: Medical University of South Carolina

Dates:
Date Received: April 13, 2012
Date Started: June 2012
Date Completion: June 2018
Last Updated: March 24, 2017
Last Verified: March 2017