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Can Non-invasive Sampling Determine the Inflammatory Status of the Intra-uterine Environment?

NCT01090583 · Status: COMPLETED · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 20

Last updated 2014-12-09

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Preterm birth (birth before 37 weeks gestation) is a large problem in the United States and is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality and childhood neurological disability. Despite significant advances in the care of pregnant mothers, the incidence of preterm labor is on the rise. There is growing recognition that cytokines and inflammatory mediators present at amniotic fluid and placenta play a fundamental role in regulating labor.

Cytokines are chemicals in the fluid that tell the body's immune system what to do. These (and other biomarkers) can be measured with a small amount (a few drops) of amniotic fluid. The researchers have previously shown that people at risk for preterm labor have higher cytokine levels. However, understanding the in-utero environment currently requires invasive sampling, such as amniocentesis, to determine cytokine concentrations. This procedure has inherent risks, causes patient discomfort and anxiety, and thus does not avail itself to routine use or repeated sampling, especially in non-high risk patients. Therefore, the researchers are looking for non-invasive sampling that can predict the in-utero environment.

To date, no studies have simultaneously evaluated different maternal-fetal compartments to determine the relationship of these markers among the compartments. Therefore, the purpose of this pilot study is to determine the differential expression of inflammatory mediators in various maternal-fetal compartments; specifically, vaginal fluid, cervical secretions, placenta, cord blood (arterial and venous), amniotic fluid, maternal serum, maternal urine, and maternal saliva.

The researchers seek to obtain fluid samples from nine maternal-fetal compartments and determine the inflammatory mediator expression in each. The timing of collection, location, and proposed studies for each of the samples is outlined in Table 1. In this pilot study, we plan to enroll 20 patients undergoing cesarean delivery.

After consent, the samples will be collected and given a unique Study ID number. No protected health information will be collected. In addition, there will be no link between the Study ID and patient identifiers. Therefore, we are not seeking HIPAA authorization at the time of consent. While none of these samples would routinely be collected as part of the standard of care, the collection procedures meet the criteria for minimal risk.

Conditions

  • Pregnancy

Interventions

OTHER

Specimen Collection

We will compare mediators from non-invasive samples (blood, urine, saliva, vaginal or cervical secretions) with traditional gold-standard invasive samples (amniotic fluid and placenta samples).

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Winthrop University Hospital

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Nazeeh Hanna, MD · Winthrop University Hospital

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2010-03-31
Primary Completion
2010-05-31
Completion
2010-07-31

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01090583 on ClinicalTrials.gov